The History of Work

Who was Richard Donkin?

• Anthropologist

• Leading thinker on work & employment

• Pioneer of Force & Discourse

• NYU Professor in Management

What was Richard's occupation?

(a)  

What are the 2 reasons the author wants us to understand the origins of work?

• What can the history (of work) tell us about the way we approach work today?

• Does this knowing of this history help us to understand this question: Is there a better way to "work"?

• Modern period

• Constant struggle to avoid death

What are the 2 places the author looks to find the origins of work?

• Timucuan

• The prehistoric past

• Hunter-gatherers today

• The roaring 20's

What was work like in "prehistory"?

• Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short

• Inclusive, rich, clean, better, and long

What does the archaeologian evidence suggest?

• Take random artifacts and build/speculate in what is going on

• Develop the skills for these tools

• Work becomes more specialized

• Biblical view of work

The Sophistication suggests that the art early humans made was...

(a)  

What is it what we have to do that we don't necessarily have to do?

• Dividing up responsiblities

• 2-3 days/week hunting

• We work a lot more today

• We work less today

What does evidence say about work among early humans?

• Safe working conditions

• Soft environments

• Hostile environments

• Mainly religious environments

What was work like in the "neolithic" period?

• Division of labor emerges

• Work becomes more specialized

• Social order becomes more hierarchical

• 2-3 days/week hunting