Labor Is More Rare Than Material Factors of Production

If this world were a socialist commonwealth, an increase in population figures would be deemed an increase in the number of idle consumers. If it were a market society, wage rates paid would not be enough to prevent starvation. We are dealing only with the fact that there are material factors of production which remain unused because labor required is needed for more urgent needs. The substitution of more efficient methods of production for less efficient ones does not render labor abundant,. provided there are still material factors available whose utilization can increase human well being.