Dignity of Labor

What is Dignity of Labor? Dignity of Labor means that all occupation, whether involving intellect or physical labor, deserves equal respect and dignity. No job should be considered superior or inferior. Every job that is dutifully done with honesty and sincerity deserves appreciation.

Every person has the right to choose his profession of his choice. A person should never be discriminated on the basis of his occupation.

Labour is of two kinds: intellectual labor and manual labor. But whatever it is, it has a dignity of its own. Some think manual labor as an inferior affair. But manual labor is as dignified as the highest intellectual labor. The people who work with their hands are as much useful as those works with their brain.

All great men used to do various kinds of manual labor. Mahatma Gandhi preferred to do all his personal works of his own. He always respected and treated everyone equally. He had the same respect in his eyes for a manual laborer that he had for the most educated intellect.

Importance of manual labor: In fact, the word ‘labor’ implies manual labor. Manual labor is the root of all progress. Many of our life’s daily necessary would not have been produced without manual labor. It is essential for human society.

• Cultivation would not be possible without manual labor. A farmer does hard labor to produce food grains, vegetables and fruits for all of us.
• Houses cannot be built without manual labor.
• Many students do some sort of manual labor and meet their educational expenses. The dignity of labor is highly recognized there.

Moreover, labor saves man from going to the wrong path. It also gives us self-satisfaction. It makes us self-dependent. There is sense of honor in all honest work.