The book by the famous American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen, The Instinct of Workmanship and the Structure of Industrial Art, first published in 1914, is a profound analysis of the evolution of human labor and production relations. The work is based on the idea of ​​the "instinct of workmanship" - an innate human desire for efficient and purposeful work, which, according to the author, is the fundamental engine of social and technical progress. Veblen traces the development of this instinct from primitive societies to the industrial era, analyzing its interaction with social institutions and cultural norms. He critically examines the modern economic system, which suppresses this instinct, giving preference to standardization and mass production, and offers an alternative view of the organization of production and the distribution of goods.
"The Instinct of Workmanship and the Structure of Industrial Art" challenges the dominant economic theories of its time and remains an influential work, relevant for the critique of consumer society and discussions about the future of work and technology. The book is of particular interest to sociologists, economists, anthropologists and historians.