Re: the labor of the bees?

[iwp.ilo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (CEP )]

    I think if what you're looking for is animals and its relationship
    with labor, you won't find better example than ants.  Much more
    superior to bees and other animals.  (Extraordinarily, insects are
    the ones that show superior labor skills).

    Ants are cloned and genetically built.  Clones to the "queen" (an
    arbitrary term since "Queens" do not rule) but of different sizes
    and genetically built to develop specific specialized labor.

    Division labor: guards (they custody the entrance to colonies);
    armies (develop to fight other colonies, defeat them and enslave
    other species); workers: they do specific tasks -- recollectors
    pick leaves and other organic material, they bring it to the
    entrance of the colony, then other workers split them in half
    and two different, smaller but otherwise identical ants transport
    the organizc material to other level, then the two pieces are split
    in four, then four, even smaller ants continue the process ... this
    operation is repeated at each level.  Finally, product is deposit
    in caves.  "Farmers": contrary to popular believes, organizc
    material is not "food", but the fertilizer of special mushrooms
    that are "planted" and "farmed" in that organic matter.  "Farmers"
    are in charge of planting the mushrooms and harvest them.  "Distri-
    butors" are in charge of distributing the "processed" mushroms.

    "Slaves" are ants from other colonies which are "forced" to do
    different tasks as "helpers" of "dominant" ants.

    "Queen" labor is limited to eggs.  Eggs are treated differently
    and new ants fed "differently" to produce clone ants of different
    sizes acording to their pre-determined function: "guards",
    "warriors", "workers"; "farmers" ..... is a kind of genetic social
    order.  The equilibrium in numbers of each specialized group is
    outstanding as its is so perfect as not to produce weakness in
    defenses, labor shortages or lack of sufficient food.

    Did you ever read about the "organization" of ants to cross a river
    by piling up their bodies and "calculating" the losses they will
    suffer in the enterprise?  Amazing.  Did you ever saw or read about
    the military organization, the "tactics and strategies" utilized to
    invade other colonies? Generals of any army will blush ....

    However, the question is, what is the product of this labor if not
    instinctive development of the resources to subsist, feed and
    reproduce?  THat's is a *complete* different kind of labor as that
    conceptualized by human thought or human social organization.  It
    is just an extension of innate, built in, developmental surviving
    skills.  Human labor is a complete different creature even if you
    prove that, in the beginnings of evolution, shared the same
    "development" of instinct than insects.  Evelotion have went a long
    way, since ....

    Comradely,
    Carlos


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