Dividing the Division of Labor

The division of labor can produce higher quality output and do so more efficiently but only by a limited amount. Labor has specialized since the beginning of civilization but produced only infinitesimal growth. Only the application of scientific knowledge and the advent of powered machinery produced modern levels of growth. This has led to greater specialization but there is little reason to attribute growth to this beyond its embodiment in knowledge and technology. The real usefulness of the division of labor is not in labor at all but in gaining specialized knowledge and replacing labor with technology, automating production.