Captains of Industry

I really enjoyed Thomas Carlyle’s lecture, Captains of Industry.  In this day and age of socialism under the nametag of American Democracy Carlyle would be staunch critic.  “Government can do much, but it can in nowise do all.” (p.482) In my opinion, truer words can’t be spoken.  The problem, I fear, is greater than Carlyle realized and in today’s time period the complexity of life is overwhelming.  The response of the people today is to cry out for more government to solve its problems rather than getting busy solving their individual problems on their own.  The demand for a government “fix” has created an out-of-control government whose growth has made it a burden on its people.  Our government today has become less effective at solving problems and less efficient in handling its business.  Carlyle was right when he observed, “Like People like Government.”(p.482)

How did we come to this place?  If we were to look at our history we would see a parallel in Carlyle’s criticism of his own time.  The pursuit of money and the competition in the marketplace were supposed to benefit society.  Although we have certainly benefitted from the technological advances in every field we now have come to a point where “artificial intelligence” has begun to replace the need for actual intelligence.  Machines do our work and now machines do our thinking.  Carlyle would see this removal of soul from society as a damning characteristic.  When we abandoned our morals in pursuit of money and we became comfortable having machines work for us we simply gave up being human.

Carlyle feared that England traded its soul for the pursuit of money.   Carlyle wanted his people to change their ways so that, “Our diety no longer being Mammon.” (p.483) If the people abandoned the pursuit of money they could avoid hell and “By degrees, we shall again have a Society with something of Heroism in it, something of Heaven’s Blessing on it.” (p.483) Carlyle was crying out but his cries were directed not only toward the masses but to its industry leaders whom Carlyle saw as feudal lords.  The industry leaders were to take on the noble task of leading their subordinates toward a better existence.  Those industry leaders were not ordinary men, they were made of something better and therefore something better was expected of them.  Carlyle believed they were gifted by God to achieve greater things and implored them to “Arise, save thyself, be one of those that save thy country.” (p.484)

How would it play out on the evening news if prominent leaders of this country and prominent Fortune 500 executives asserted themselves and claimed a God-given leadership role?  I think it would be disturbing to most but if those same leaders in government and industry took it upon themselves to search their soles for a purpose other than making themselves rich, there would be a glimmer of hope and decency evident to everyone.  If politicians believed their roles were to serve rather than be served, to give rather than receive, and to guide the country as they would seek to be guided, there would be more respect for them.  If industry leaders ceased borrowing from the government and the taxpayers to bail out losses while granting themselves grotesque bonus packages, confidence in the economy would grow. 

Carlyle saw the problem.  Carlyle called out the leaders.  Carlyle noted “Love of men cannot be bought by cash-payment; and without love men cannot endure together.”  (p.484)Like many prophets, no one heeded his call.  Carlyle wanted benevolent leaders to endear themselves to the workers who would then work for them out of loyalty, love and a sense of God’s purpose.  “It is to you I call: ye know at least this, That the mandate of God to His creature man is: Work!” (p. 485) I think that Carlyle’s appreciation for leadership and teamwork were ahead of his time.  I think his call on us today is as clear as it was in his day. 

Our problem with listening to, and adhering to, such principles espoused by Carlyle is that they are easy to say but difficult to do.  Carlyle wasn’t shy about admitting that obstacle, “God knows, the task will be hard; but no noble task was ever easy.” He went further, “Difficult?  Yes, it will be difficult.” (p.486)  I remember hearing my parents say the same thing to me repeatedly during my adolescence.  Difficult, yes it was difficult, but I worked through it and feel that I’m better for it.  As I look ahead there will be much work to do but I’m happy to be in a position to be able to work and know that there is reward beyond money in work.