In Western history, craftsmanship, especially as it developed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, constitutes one of the peaks in the evolution of creative work. Work was not only a useful activity, but one which carried with it a profound satisfaction. The main features of craftsmanship have been very lucidly expressed by C. W. Mills. "There is no ulterior motive in work other than the product being made and the processes of its creation. The details of dally work are meaningful because they are not detached in the worker's mind from the product of the work. The worker is free to control his own working action. The craftsman is thus able to learn from his work; and to use and develop his capacities and skills in its prosecution. There is no split of work and play, or work and culture. The craftsman' s way of livelihooddetermines and infuses his entire mode of living."
在西方历史上，手工技艺，尤其是十三、十四世纪中发展起来的手工技艺构成了人类创造性劳动发展史上的一个顶峰。那时的劳动不仅是一项有现实价值的活动，而且是一项给人以巨大的满足的活动。有关手工技艺的主要特征，美国社会学家米尔斯曾作过清楚的说明。他说，"除了劳动者对于被制造的产品和制造产品的生产过程本身的兴趣之外，劳动并无其他的深层动机。日常工作的细枝末节之所以有意义，是因为在劳动者的心目中，它们与劳动的产品密不可分。劳动者不受任何约束地主宰自己的劳动行为。这样，工匠艺人便能通过劳动过程来学习劳动技艺，并且在劳动过程中应用和提高自己的劳动技艺。工作和娱乐、工作和文化活动融为一体。工匠艺人的谋生手段决定并影响着其生活方式。"
With the collapse of the medieval structure, and the beginning of the modern mode of production, the meaning and function of work changed fundamentally, especially in the Protestantcountries. Man, being afraid of his newly won freedom, was obsessed by the need to subdue his doubts and fears by developing a feverish activity. The out-come of this activity, success or failure, decided his salvation, indicating whether he was among the saved or the lost souls.
随着中世纪社会结构的瓦解和现代生产方式的出现，劳动的社会意义和作用发生了根本性的变化，这一变化在新教国家尤为显著。人们对于自己新近获得的自由感到害怕，而为了克服自己的疑惧，他就必须进行某种狂热的活动。这种活动的结果，或成或败，就决定着他的命运和灵魂的归宿，标志着他死后是将进天堂还是入地狱。