I, Pencil - I, Product - I, Think - I, Create

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One of the best descriptions and simplistic adaptation of the division of labor is found in one simple essay.  In "I, Pencil" Leonard Read captures the dynamism of the market in doing whatever is necessary to meet demands.  The coming together of thousands if not millions of individuals to act together freely, unbeknownst to them, each with their own little bit of focused knowledge and expertise, to create a final product that so many superciliously take for granted.  Why is it that anything really requires a centralized function known as government in order to operate?  Instead of natural flow, this results in an arbitrarily forced congruence with regard to specific processes that may otherwise not have come into being, or perhaps another more efficient version of itself would be in existence sans this consolidated mandate.  True harmonious [sans government] collaboration is easily found, all one has to do is look around for the smallest things and realize the amazing voluntary cooperation of free thinking individuals that went into the making of any particular object.  The sundry industries participating in the creative force and manifesting the energies necessary to supply the world with what it needs (nature -> commodities -> capital -> labor -> product).  

As much as one cannot explain a tree's creation and composition in fine detail - a task relegated only to a supreme intelligence and initial cause of all things - one cannot also explain the process of something as basic as a pencil in detail.  Not one mind has the wherewithal to do so.  This is the very myopic view that many inherit naturally when attempting to view a world where functions such as defense, first-class mail delivery, road construction and etc is done without governmental edict.  One mind cannot grasp the enormity behind these services, however, seeing as if simple objects require the coming together of many individuals, why is it that this same principle cannot be applied as a broad stroke of the brush when it comes to everything provided to us via public entities?  I submit that it certainly can. 

Now go and indulge your brain and read this wonderful essay at Mises.org:

http://mises.org/daily/4736