Employment

Employment keeps one engaged, enables one directly or indirectly to be productive towards their society. In ancient days employment was limited to each specific community for most given jobs. The wants of mankind itself was not too demanding. The scopes of varied vocations were limited, though there was enough activity to engage most men. The womenfolk cared for their homes and engaged in farming, rice milling, grinding, washing, cooking and a few other domestic chores.

The two most important scopes for work for men-folk were as soldiers or as farmers. The royalty, in either defending their country or waging war against neighbours, which in turn generated employment activities for blacksmiths, tanners, stud farms etc. During peace times, farms, many owned by temples utilized able-bodied men, tanks were dredged, roads were laid and trees were planted. All these were possible because the population was manageable and under control.

The story is different today. Ten million youth pass out each year in India alone and are in search of jobs. Women are no longer considered ineligible for any job, which were in the male bastion hitherto. The industrial growth on the other hand tends to rely more and more on automation, utilizing as less people as possible. The computerization and E-commerce tend to wipe out the community of small traders and many businesses. The growth of population of the world, predicted to reach 10 Bn. by 2050 would largely be contributed by poor countries and developing economies of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

All these tend to move the world towards a dangerous point, when the rule of law could cease to exist. I had earlier written once on the widening disparity between the poor and the rich in India. The scenario was reenacted in Kolkata yesterday, when a mob entered an upmarket-gated housing colony to ransack nearly 78 cars. The reason: A Merc allegedly hit a scooter the previous night, killing the scooter driver; the car purportedly belonged to someone in the said housing colony. The mob was mostly poor men, apparently unemployed, having a grouse on the intimidating tall towers, where once existed their small means of livelihood, garages and shops. This could be an example of what is to come, in a larger scale.

Jobs, like health, education and shelter are birthrights. If there are more people than jobs available, there will not be peace and harmony. The world today is heavily misbalanced with wealth concentrated with a few countries, while a large section of mankind live in penury. The glaring reality of taking the risky routes by the stormy seas in rattling boats to somehow reach the foreign shores, as refugees should be viewed with more concern. It will happen everywhere.

The governments, including ours have sadly failed to convert the large youth population into asset creation and nation building. This was an ideal opportunity to go for afforestation, recycle wastes, engaging them in excavation of ponds, laying of village roads, construction of community halls where vocations and skills can be imparted. In absence of much of the above, most tend to look for government jobs, and for a few hundred vacancies, even for sweepers’ jobs, thousands of graduates and post graduates, among a few lacs apply.

Employment is not merely paying for services rendered; it is ensuring human dignity, according self-respect to a person; it keeps one productive to the nation and in creation of assets.

We have already faltered, and should introspect to amend, speedily in creating quality employment or containing the population growth.

Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix