Indisputably, man must adapt natural substances to suit his requirements of food, clothing, shelter, livelihood etc. This process, of subverting nature to human needs, is termed production. Classical Political Economy theory sees this process unfolding as man applying his Labour i.e. his conscious, purpose-oriented activity aimed towards production of material goods to satisfy his requirements, to natural substances. Man’s capacity to influence and transform natural substances, in turn, is his labour power. It includes his physical and mental abilities, as well as his professional skills. The substances to which labour is applied become the objects of labour (for example, land for a farmer) and the instruments through which labour is applied are the means of labour (harrow, sickle etc. For a farmer). The objects and means of labour together constitute the means of production and it is the constant interaction between labour power and means of production that production takes place, which forms the basis of the development of human society.
Production is, however, not just a process of creating tangible substances, it is just as much about formulating theories, ideas and concepts. Labour is not just about utilising the Earth’s natural resources to create material products for our direct consumption. It also includes intellectual labour. Literature, music, dance forms, customs and conventions, political theories and philosophical ideas and concepts are all products of man’s intellectual labour. They all stem from Man’s ability to reason-the sole characteristic that makes man unique from all other animals. Man is able to reason, think, plan, calculate and then finally execute his acts. It is in this regard that even the simplest acts of man are superior to the most complex acts of animals-they are planned, as compared to animals, who rely on their instincts for their survival. It is with exercise of his labour power that Man is able to give a definite form, a specific arrangement to his environment to subvert it to his needs and suit his requirements. Production-tangible or intangible, is about providing a form to things, or fathoming an arrangement or a pattern in nature to suit our needs.
The barometer of man’s domination of nature, the measure of development of human society, however, is the development in the means of labour. It is how production takes place, rather than what has been produced.
Development in means of labour, again, I may add, is not just about improvement in the tools of labour. It is also about development in the intellectual labour of man. Ideas, concepts, theories and thought are just as instrumental in the production of material objects, because the latter are nothing but a tangible, external manifestation of the former.
A light bulb, for instance, as invented by Thomas Alva Edison, consisted of an electrical contact, screw cap, connecting wires, glass fuse enclosure, support wires, along with the coiled tungsten filament, a mixture of inert gasses at low pressure and finally, the glass envelope. Now each of these objects, individually, had their own specific function. They were all interdependent, in order to create the light bulb. Each part, having a specific function, also had a specific place. For example, the inert gasses would have to be in contact with the tungsten filament for the light bulb to work. The same principle applies to all other parts. They would fulfil their role successfully only in their respective places, and nowhere else. They would have to be in a specific form, a definite arrangement for the light bulb to be able to work.
The invention of the light bulb, undoubtedly, remains one of the greatest inventions of mankind. It was the ultimate result arrived at after numerous failures- Different permutations and combinations. Different arrangements, different patterns. The product of a man’s labour aimed at providing mankind a long-lasting, efficient source of light.
In light of the recent video showing a plastic bottle being a source of light doing the rounds on the internet, such a principle of ordering is exemplified even further. Just like the tungsten filament, the electrical contact and the inert gases come into a definite form along with all other prerequisites for a light bulb, with the purpose of emitting light, the video shows a man who brings together metal roofing, a plastic bottle, sealant, filtered water, bleach and sunlight to serve the very same purpose.
The development of mankind lies in the development of the means of production and the increase in the labour power of Man.
In an education system where original thinking is restricted and conformity to existing theories, conventions and norms is encouraged, such a breakthrough holds even more significance. Though there is doubt over who actually came up with the soda bottle light bulb- a group of MIT students or a Philippine national, the point is, it accurately depicts the principle of production being just a process of finding an arrangement, a pattern, and of giving a definite form to resources in our environment to attain that form to suit our needs. Innovation is a creative process. Had the inventor of the soda bottle light bulb been bowed under the weight of conventional means of production, the soda bottle light bulb would not have seen the face of the earth after all.
Every generation is smarter than the previous one, because it learns from its mistakes and develops upon the intellectual edifice that it had inherited from its ancestors.
Not only is the soda bottle light bulb a breakthrough for people living in dark, dingy homes, with virtually no supply of electricity, it also serves to show how thinking out of the box, and going against established conventions , with a view to replacing them with more advanced variants can work towards greater welfare of mankind. After all, the development of human society is not just about development in the production of material wealth, it is just as much about development in thought and ideas. In this respect, I would like to applaud the invention of the soda bottle light bulb.
Ref. :Political Economy; A. Buzuev, V. Buzuev
