p Nothing is more desired by man than the joy of labour. Yet labour has not always been joyful. Could it bring joy to the slave or the serf who was driven to work by fear 238 of death or the whip of the overseer? Is there much joy in the labour of the hired worker, whom fear of hunger forces to toil for the capitalist? Forced labour cannot be attractive and it cannot be a source of freedom and happiness.

p Socialism is the only political system that has made labour really free. Having put an end to exploitation, it has given the working man his first ever opportunity of working not for the landowner or the capitalist but for himself, for his people, for society. This is bringing about a profound change in people’s attitude to labour which is becoming a matter of glory, honour, valour and heroism.

p The dedicated labour of workers, peasants and intellectuals lies at the back of the monumental achievements of socialism in the Soviet Union. Labour will play an even larger role in people’s lives in communist society. Communism is not a society of idlers. Distribution according to needs does not mean that without any effort at all man will receive everything he wants. Distribution according to needs is possible when there is an abundance of social wealth. Abundance does not appear of itself. It is created by persevering and conscientious labour.

p Communism and labour are inseparable. In communist society labour will continue to be the source of all values, the father of all of mankind’s wealth. Every person capable of work will do his bit and ensure the continuous growth of material and cultural values. Like socialism, communism liberates people not from labour but from the exploitation of their labour. That is why in the basic principle of communism—“From each according to his ability to each according to his needs"—the allocation to man of all the blessings of life is indissolubly linked up with dedicated social labour.

At the same time, under communism labour itself, its conditions and the attitude of people to it will change. It will become communist labour.