and receive proper support from the Emperor。 This peasant now calls
himself 〃the Most Serene Warrior； Prince Blokhin； purveyor of war
supplies of all descriptions。〃 He says of himself that he has
〃passed through all the ranks；〃 and that when he shall have served
out his term in the army； he is to receive from the Emperor an
unlimited bank account； clothes； uniforms； horses； equipages； tea；
pease and servants； and all sorts of luxuries。 This man is
ridiculous in the eyes of many； but to me the significance of his
madness is terrible。 To the question； whether he does not wish to
work； he always replies proudly： 〃I am much obliged。 The peasants
will attend to all that。〃 When you tell him that the peasants do
not wish to work； either； he answers： 〃It is not difficult for the
peasant。〃
He generally talks in a high…flown style； and is fond of verbal
substantives。 〃Now there is an invention of machinery for the
alleviation of the peasants；〃 he says； 〃there is no difficulty for
them in that。〃 When he is asked what he lives for； he replies； 〃To
pass the time。〃 I always look on this man as on a mirror。 I behold
in him myself and all my class。 To pass through all the ranks
（tchini） in order to live for the purpose of passing the time； and
to receive an unlimited bank account； while the peasants； for whom
this is not difficult； because of the invention of machinery； do the
whole business；this is the complete formula of the idiotic creed
of the people of our sphere in society。
When we inquire precisely what we are to do； surely； we ask nothing；
but merely assertonly not in such good faith as the Most Serene
Prince Blokhin； who has been promoted through all ranks； and lost
his mindthat we do not wish to do any thing。
He who will reflect for a moment cannot ask thus； because； on the
one hand； every thing that he uses has been made； and is made； by
the hands of men； and； on the other side； as soon as a healthy man
has awakened and eaten； the necessity of working with feet and hands
and brain makes itself felt。 In order to find work and to work； he
need only not hold back： only a person who thinks work disgraceful…
…like the lady who requests her guest not to take the trouble to
open the door； but to wait until she can call a man for this
purposecan put to himself the question； what he is to do。
The point does not lie in inventing work；you can never get through
all the work that is to be done for yourself and for others；but
the point lies in weaning one's self from that criminal view of life
in accordance with which I eat and sleep for my own pleasure； and in
appropriating to myself that just and simple view with which the
laboring man grows up and lives；that man is； first of all； a
machine； which loads itself with food in order to sustain itself；
and that it is therefore disgraceful； wrong； and impossible to eat
and not to work； that to eat and not to work is the most impious；
unnatural； and； therefore； dangerous position； in the nature of the
sin of Sodom。 Only let this acknowledgement be made； and there will
be work； and work will always be joyous and satisfying to both
spiritual and bodily requirements。
The matter presented itself to me thus： The day is divided for
every man； by food itself； into four parts； or four stints； as the
peasants call it： （1） before breakfast； （2） from breakfast until
dinner； （3） from dinner until four o'clock； （4） from four o'clock
until evening。
A man's employment； whatever it may be that he feels a need for in
his own person； is also divided into four categories： （1） the
muscular employment of power； labor of the hands； feet； shoulders；
back；hard labor； from which you sweat； （2） the employment of the
fingers and wrists； the employment of artisan skill； （3） the
employment of the mind and imagination； （4） the employment of
intercourse with others。
The benefits which man enjoys are also divided into four categories。
Every man enjoys； in the first place； the product of hard labor；
grain； cattle； buildings； wells； ponds； and so forth； in the second
place； the results of artisan toil；clothes； boots； utensils； and
so forth； in the third place； the products of mental activity；
science； art； and； in the forth place； established intercourse
between people。
And it struck me； that the best thing of all would be to arrange the
occupations of the day in such a manner as to exercise all four of
man's capacities； and myself produce all these four sorts of
benefits which men make use of； so that one portion of the day； the
first； should be dedicated to hard labor； the second； to
intellectual labor； the third； to artisan labor； and the forth； to
intercourse with people。 It struck me； that only then would that
false division of labor； which exists in our society； be abrogated；
and that just division of labor established； which does not destroy
man's happiness。
I； for example； have busied myself all my life with intellectual
labor。 I said to myself； that I had so divided labor； that writing；
that is to say； intellectual labor； is my special employment； and
the other matters which were necessary to me I had left free （or
relegated； rather） to others。 But this； which would appear to have
been the most advantageous arrangement for intellectual toil； was
precisely the most disadvantageous to mental labor； not to mention
its injustice。
All my life long； I have regulated my whole life； food； sleep；
diversion； in view of these hours of special labor； and I have done
nothing except this work。 The result of this has been； in the first
place； that I have contracted my sphere of observations and
knowledge； and have frequently had no means for the study even of
problems which often presented themselves in describing the life of
the people （for the life of the common people is the every…day
problem of intellectual activity）。 I was conscious of my ignorance；
and was obliged to obtain instruction； to ask about things which are
known by every man not engaged in special labor。 In the second
place； the result was； that I had been in the habit of sitting down
to write when I had no inward impulse to write； and when no one
demanded from me writing； as writing； that is to say； my thoughts；
but when my name was merely wanted for journalistic speculation。 I
tried to squeeze out of myself what I could。 Sometimes I could
extract nothing； sometimes it was very wretched stuff； and I was
dissatisfied and grieved。 But now that I have learned the
indispensability of physical labor； both hard and artisan labor； the
result is entirely different。 My time has been occupied； however
modestly； at least usefully and cheerfully； and in a manner
instructive to me。 And therefore I have torn myself from that
indubitably useful and cheerful occupation for my special duties
only when I felt an inward impulse； and when I saw a demand made
upon me directly for my literary work。
And these demands called into play only good nature； and therefore
the usefulness and the joy of my special labor。 Thus it turned out；
that employment in those physical labors which are indispensable to
me； as they are to every man； not only did not interfere with my
special activity； but was an indispensable condition of the
usefulness； worth； and cheerfulness of that activity。
The bird is so constructed； that it is indispensable that it should
fly； walk； peek； combine； and when it does all this； it is satisfied
and happy；then it is a bird。 Just so man； when he walks； turns；
raises； drags； works with his fingers； with his eyes； with his ears；
with his tongue； with his brain；only then is he satisfied； only
then is he a man。
A man who acknowledges his appointment to labor will naturally
strive towards that rotation of labor which is peculiar to him； for
the satisfaction of his inward requirements； and he can alter this
labor in no other way than when he feels within himself an
irresistible summons to some exclusive form of labor； and when the
demands of other men for that labor are expressed。
The character of labor is such； that the satisfaction of all a man's
requirements demands that same succession of the sorts of work which
renders work not a burden but a joy。 Only a false creed； ＇Greek
text which cannot be reproduced＇； to the effect that labor is a
curse； could have led men to rid themselves of certain kinds of
work； i。e。； to the appropriation of the work of others； demanding
the forced occupation with special labor of other people； which they
call division of labor。
We have only grown used to our false comprehension of the regulation
of labor； because it seems to us that the shoemaker； the machinist；
the writer； or the musician will be better off if he gets rid of the
labor peculiar to man。 Where there is no force exercised over the
labor of others； or any false belief in the joy of idleness； not a
single man will get rid of physical labor； necessary for the
satisfaction of his requirements； for the sake of special work；
because special work is not a privilege； but a sacrifice which man
offers to inward pressure and to his brethren。
The shoemaker in the country； who abandons his wonted labor in the
field； which is so grateful to him； and betakes himself to his
trade； in order to repair or make boots for his neighbors； always
deprives himself of the pleasant toil of the field； simply because
he likes to make boots； because he knows that no one else can do it
so well as he； and that people will be grateful to him for it； but
the desire cannot occur to him； to deprive himself； for the whole
period of his life； of the cheering rotation of labor。
It is the same with the starosta ＇village elder＇； the machinist； the
writer； the learned man。 To us； with our corrupt conception of
things； it seems； that if a steward has been relegated to the
position of a peasant by his master； or if a minister has been sent
to the colonies； he has been chastised； he has been ill…treated。
But in reality a benefit has been conferred on him； that is to say；
his special； hard labor has been changed into a cheerful rotation of
labor。 In a naturally constituted society； this is quite otherwise。
I know of one commun