By: Ana Maria Tofan, SFU Student
The capitalist goal is simple: maximize profit by spending less on materials and labour. This has had a drastic impact on the quality of material goods. The pursuit of this goal has replaced the need for specialized artisans, whose goods once required craftsmanship, years of apprenticeship, and most importantly, time.
I had the honour of seeing the Curtea de Argeş cathedral (pictured) with my own eyes on a trip to Romania, and the complexity of the detailed architecture was fascinating. Cathedrals like this were built in the time of artisans, meaning that each element of it was crafted by an individual specialist. For example, there was someone who dedicated their lives to stained glass mosaics, painting, tile making, and even door crafting. Just looking at the spiraled towers of the Curtea de Argeş cathedral ignites a sense of awe at the craftsmanship. Cobblers, modistes, watchmakers, and other artisans have been replaced by assembly lines and sidelined by corporate greed. The average person does not have the time (nor the means) to create high-quality goods when their competition is a billion-dollar industry that can make thousands of items in the time it would take them to make one or two.
“The average person does not have the time (nor the means) to create high-quality goods when their competition is a billion-dollar industry that can make thousands of items in the time it would take them to make one or two.”
The departure from artisanship began after the emergence of the industrial revolution in the late 18th century. Mass production techniques allowed for efficient factory manufacturing, which slowly took the place of artisanship. This shift in manufacturing led to the overwhelming popularity of mass produced goods not only among producers, but among consumers as well. The appeal of mass production lies in decreased prices for consumers and increased profit for corporations. Cheaper prices are possible through sourcing cheaper materials and sacrificing the labour costs of trained craftsmanship. As a result, consumers must frequently replace their items. Of course, before industrialization there was much less competition for artisans, and products were higher quality because they needed to be. There were no factories to mass produce consumer products and artisanship thrived through necessity.
When faced with the choice between an expensive handmade item and a cheap, mass-produced one, the average person would likely prefer the cheaper option. Although it seems more logical to invest in handmade products that will last a lifetime, think of all the times you have opted for fast fashion for the sake of affordability and convenience. Let’s be honest, most of us do not or cannot spend $128 on a shirt. For the average consumer, the shift away from artisanship means that goods we consider essentials are manufactured at a much lower standard of quality. It feels like everything is made of the cheapest materials available and products are engineered with shorter lifetimes so we will return to the seller over and over again.
Additionally, artisan trades have become either obsolete or niche hobbies. Hobbies that include textiles like knitting, crochet and sewing, as well as carving, painting, metal working, glass art, and more have lost their viability as professions. Their labour isn’t valued by the capitalist system because mass production is immensely more efficient for generating profit. If you long for the time of artisanship, take up these hobbies or support a local business owner, and bring the beauty of handcrafted items into your home.
