Introduction: ‘Dignity of labor’ is dignified in accordance with its utilization and utility. It is the most valuable powerful element of success in life. It is the philosophy that all types of jobs are respected equally, and no occupation is considered superior and none of the jobs should be discriminated on any basis. Regardless of whether one’s occupation involves physical work or mental labor, it is held that the job deserves respect.
The dignity of labor is one of the major themes in Christian ethics, and as such, it is upheld by the Anglican Communion, in Catholic social teaching, in Methodist principles, and in Reformed theology.
Although man is the greatest creature of the universe, he has to earn his own bread; nobody brings him his livelihood by a wave of any magic wand. Whatever he needs, he must acquire through hard work. If anyone wants to have anything without undertaking the burden of labor, he has indulged in illegal activities which deserve no dignity at all.
Classification of Labor: There are two kinds of labor-manual and intellectual. Each of them has the dignity of its own and none is inferior to the other. But unfortunately, most of our educated persons have a wrong idea of manual labor. Consequently, they look down upon the people engaged in manual work. In such a context we should keep in mind that manual labor has noting debasing about it.
- Manual Labor: Manual labor is at the root of our livelihood. The food, drink, clothes, and houses without which we cannot live are all the gifts of manual labor. It is manual labor that drives the plow and reaps the harvest. It grinds the corn and turns it into bread. It spins the thread and weaves our clothes. It lays brick upon brick and builds our houses. Manual-workers are thus the backbone of a nation. In western countries, all house-hold works are done by the people themselves. They have to clean their own floors and wash their own bathrooms. There is no porter to carry their pieces of luggage. A passenger has to carry his own bag. A carpenter, a mason or an electrician has his own dignity.
- Intellectual Labor: Labor of this type is dignified to many. Working in the office, bank, insurance company, etc is regarded as intellectual labor. It has a touch with manual labor. The country’s development in the international field depends on it. Science, literature, culture, technology, etc are intellectual labor. But unfortunately, many people in our country still think that manual labor is not dignified. It is ridiculous to think that a clerical job is more dignified than manual work in agriculture, horticulture, carpentry, pottery, tailoring, book-binding, spinning, weaving, dairy, poultry, etc. This false notion should be changed. It is especially important in the context of the economic realities of the country. Indeed this dignity of labor may be a powerful means of combating the problem of unemployment which is becoming large in our country.
Importance of Labor: The main success of man’s life is to strike a unique balance between his needs desires or dreams and achievements. What man wants to really exist in the world. But if he wants to have it, he has to labor hard. He has to earn all this: his bread for survival, knowledge, success, wealth, friendship, fame and all other things that he craves for. Likewise, social status, historical identity, and esteem from others these all need to be procured through hard labor. If there is to be anything called luck, then it must be a series of blanks that must be filled up by hard labor. Or, more specifically
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
‘Dignity of labor’ has an important role in the country. No nation can develop unless her people undergo any labor. If we consider the developed countries, we find that the people of those countries did not hesitate but labored hard. Labor of any kind is dignified as it can give everything to society. The nation’s development depends largely on labor. All the great men in the world labored hard and achieved dignity.
We cannot expect that every educated young man would be given a secure and comfortable job with a chair and a table and a fan in an office or in a bank. We must admit that no government can provide employment to all the unemployed youths.
Conclusion: Therefore, labor makes everything possible. Without it, nothing can be done or achieved. Even any religious practice without any labor has no value. Pure religion is what we do after our prayer is over. Prayer is indeed a preparation. For this reason, labor is given the most important in all religious books of the world. It helps contribute to the economic development of an individual and a nation.
