ozen men could turn out all you need."

The old man was shaking his head. He held up the battery. "This comes from
the planet Archimedes," he said, "one of the most highly industrialized in
the UP, so I understand. On Archimedes do you know how many persons it
takes to manufacture this power pack?"

[Illustration.]

"A handful to operate the whole factory, Archimedes is fully automated."

The old man was still moving his head negatively. "No. It takes the total
working population of the planet. How many different metals do you think
are contained in it, in all? I can immediately see what must be lead and
copper."

Ronny said uncomfortably, "Probably at least a dozen, some in microscopic
amounts."

"That's right. So we need a highly developed metallurgical industry before
we can even begin. Then a developed transportation industry to take metals
to the factory. We need power to run the factory, hydro-electric, solar,
or possibly atomic power. We need a tool-making industry to equip the
factory, the transport industry and the power industry. And while the men
are employed in these, we need farmers to produce food for them, educators
to teach them the sciences and techniques involved, and an entertainment
industry to amuse them in their hours of rest. As their lives become more
complicated with all this, we need a developed medical industry to keep
them in health."

The old man hesitated for a moment, then said, "And, above all, we need a
highly complicated government to keep all this accumulation of wealth in
check and balance. No. You see, my friend, it takes _social labor_ to
produce products such as this, and thus far we have avoided that on
Kropotkin. In fact, it was for such avoidance that my ancestors originally
came to this planet."

Ronny said, scowling, "This gets ridiculous. You show me this basically
simple power pack and say it will ruin your socio-economic system. On the
face of it, it's ridiculous."

The old man sighed and looked out over the village unseeingly. "It's not
just that single item, of course. The other day one of my neighbors turned
up with a light bulb with built-in power for a year's time. It is the envy
of the unthinking persons of the neighborhood most of whom would give a
great deal for such a source of light. A nephew of mine has somehow even
acquired a powered bicycle, I think you call them, from somewhere or
other. One by one, item by item, these pr