He who does not work, neither shall he eat
Encyclopedia
He who does not work, neither shall he eat is a Biblical aphorism derived from II Thessalonians
3:10, which became a slogan for new colonies and socialist societies.
that is,
The Greek phrase means “is not willing to work”. Other English translations render this as “would” or “will not work”, which may confuse readers unaccustomed to this use of the verb “will” in the obsolete sense of “want to, desire to”.
after an experiment with a common store system was abandoned (1607-1609).
, “He who does not work shall not eat” is a necessary principle under socialism
, the preliminary phase of the evolution towards communist society. The phrase appears in his 1917 work, The State and Revolution. Through this slogan Lenin explains that in socialist states only productive individuals could be allowed access to the articles of consumption
.
In accordance with Lenin’s understanding of the socialist state, article twelve of the 1936 Soviet Constitution
states:
In Lenin’s writing, this was not so much directed at lazy or unproductive workers, but rather the bourgeoisie
. (Marxist theory defines the bourgeoisie as the group of those who buy the labor-power of workers and engage it in the process of production, deriving profits from the surplus value thus expropriated. Once communism was realised, that is, after the abolition of property and the law of value
, no-one would live off the labor of others.)
Neither did the principle apply to those rendered incapable of work by old age or disability. These groups would have a right to society's products because they were not at fault for their condition. The elderly, in particular, had worked during their youth, and so could not be denied life’s basic necessities. The Soviet state accordingly provided a basic level of social security.
Second Epistle to the Thessalonians
The Second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, often referred to as Second Thessalonians and written 2 Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible...
3:10, which became a slogan for new colonies and socialist societies.
New Testament
This concept is derived directly from the Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle (with Silvanus and Timothy) to the Thessalonians, in which Paul writes to the Thessalonians:that is,
- If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
The Greek phrase means “is not willing to work”. Other English translations render this as “would” or “will not work”, which may confuse readers unaccustomed to this use of the verb “will” in the obsolete sense of “want to, desire to”.
Jamestown
The slogan is said to have been used by John Smith when establishing the English colony of Jamestown, VirginiaJamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
after an experiment with a common store system was abandoned (1607-1609).
Soviet Union
According to LeninVladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, “He who does not work shall not eat” is a necessary principle under socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, the preliminary phase of the evolution towards communist society. The phrase appears in his 1917 work, The State and Revolution. Through this slogan Lenin explains that in socialist states only productive individuals could be allowed access to the articles of consumption
Consumption (economics)
Consumption is a common concept in economics, and gives rise to derived concepts such as consumer debt. Generally, consumption is defined in part by comparison to production. But the precise definition can vary because different schools of economists define production quite differently...
.
In accordance with Lenin’s understanding of the socialist state, article twelve of the 1936 Soviet Constitution
1936 Soviet Constitution
The 1936 Soviet constitution, adopted on December 5, 1936, and also known as the "Stalin" constitution, redesigned the government of the Soviet Union.- Basic provisions :...
states:
In Lenin’s writing, this was not so much directed at lazy or unproductive workers, but rather the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
. (Marxist theory defines the bourgeoisie as the group of those who buy the labor-power of workers and engage it in the process of production, deriving profits from the surplus value thus expropriated. Once communism was realised, that is, after the abolition of property and the law of value
Law of value
-General:The law of value is a central concept in Karl Marx's critique of political economy, first expounded in his polemic The Poverty of Philosophy against Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, with reference to David Ricardo's economics...
, no-one would live off the labor of others.)
Neither did the principle apply to those rendered incapable of work by old age or disability. These groups would have a right to society's products because they were not at fault for their condition. The elderly, in particular, had worked during their youth, and so could not be denied life’s basic necessities. The Soviet state accordingly provided a basic level of social security.
See also
|
To each according to his contribution To each according to his contribution is considered by socialists and Marxist socialists as a characteristic of society directly following the transition to socialism, but preceding the final step to communism... Welfare State The Welfare State is a commitment to health, education, employment and social security in the United Kingdom.-Background:The United Kingdom, as a welfare state, was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five "Giant Evils" in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness... Workfare Workfare is an alternative model to conventional social welfare systems. The term was first introduced by civil rights leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon in a televised speech August 1969... |
External links
- s:Bible (American Standard)/2 Thessalonians For the full Thessalonian text (chapter3, verse 10) showing the real origins of the quote.
- The Critique of the Gotha Programme The pamphlet from which Lenin draws much of his arguments for the State and Revolution.
- The State and Revolution the complete text of Lenin's main philosophical work.