If no great inventions in machinery took place, we might therefore expect a constant narrowing of the activity of each worker, which would make his work constantly more simple, and more monotonous, and himself more and more dependent on the regular co- operation of an increasing number of other persons over whom he had no direct control.

Without the growth of modern machinery, mere subdivision of labour would constantly make for the slavery and the intellectual degradation of labour.

Independently of the mighty and ever-new applications of mechanical forces, this process of subdivision or specialization would take place, though at a slower pace.

How far does machinery degrade, demoralize, dementalize the worker?
The constantly growing specialization of machinery is the most striking industrial phenomenon of modern times.

Since the worker is more and more the attendant of machinery, does not this mean a corresponding specialization of the worker?
It would seem so at first sight, yet if we look closer it becomes less obvious.