CHANGING PROPORTIONS OF THE ECONOMIC ELEMENTS OF THE POPULATION 



When the Constitution of the United States was adopted, 19 persons were engaged 

 in agriculture for each person in other kinds of work. It took that much of our total 

 labor power to keep the population supplied with food and organic raw materials 

 for clothing and shelter. At the beginning of the Second World War 19 persons en- 

 gaged in agriculture could maintain 80 in other kinds of work. What brought about 

 these changes? What further changes are likely? 



than they can use. Where trade and commerce are established, men try to 

 accumulate "wealth", or else money which can be exchanged for usable things. 



Because of their social disposition human beings need to feel that they 

 belong in a particular set, or have a place in the community. To meet this 

 need they sometimes wear special garments or ornaments to tell the world to 

 what set they belong or how important they are — the old school tie, for exam- 

 ple, or a sorority pin. We put up badges and signs to assure ourselves that we 

 rate. More important than signs and labels (which after all may be false, or 

 merely "put on"), we need to make genuine impressions upon one another 

 and upon the materials around us. Above all, each individual needs to feel 

 his own power over things or over others in order to feel secure and important. 



Men make things they need or things they want to have or use — houses, 

 furniture, pies, roads, garments, tools, vehicles. But they make also dolls 

 and masks, pictures and drums, model airplanes, and many, many more fancy 



648 



