Class 6 Social Science Chapter 13 Notes The Value of Work
→ Money’s Worth: The value of something: based on how useful or beneficial it is to a : person.
→ Market: A place where people buy and sell goods and services. Most of the time, they use money to do this, but occasionally they might ; trade one item for another.
→ Fee: A payment given to someone for their professional help or service. For example. when you pay a doctor or a lawyer for their advice or work.
→ Salary: A regular amount of money that an employee is paid each month for their job.
→ Payment in Kind: When someone is paid: for their work with things other than money. such as goods or services.
→ Wage: Money that a worker earns for doing: a job, usually calculated by the hour, day, or: week.
Learning Objectives
- What are Economic and Non-Economic Activities?
- Types of Economic Activities
- Example of Economic Activity
- The Importance of Non-Economic Activities
- Examples of Non-Economic Activities
Introduction
In our daily lives, we do different activities, which can be grouped into two types: economic activities and non-economic activities.
Economic activities
Economic activities are the ones where people do work to earn money. For example, imagine a shopkeeper selling school bags, a farmer selling vegetables at the market, or a truck driver delivering goods. All these individuals are working to earn money in return for their services.
Non-economic activities
Non-economic activities, on the other hand, are carried out of love, care, or respect and are not intended to generate money. For example, when parents cook food for their family or assist with homework, they do so because they care, not for payment.
To help you understand better, Let’s take this story
Geeta Aunty is an Air Force pilot. She earns a salary for her job, which is an economic activity. Meanwhile, Anu’s brother Rohan works for a software company and also receives a salary. However, on weekends, he volunteers at a youth program me to teach computer skills. This teaching is a non-economic activity because he does it to help others, not to earn money.
Types of Economic Activities
Economic activities are actions that people engage in to earn money or receive some form of payment. These activities contribute to the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services in society. They are essential as they help people meet their needs and want by exchanging goods or services for money.
There are three main types of economic activities:
- Primary Activities: These involve the extraction of natural resources. Examples include farming, fishing, mining, and forestry.
- Secondary Activities: These involve manufacturing or processing raw materials into finished goods. For example, turning wood into furniture or processing wheat into flour.
- Tertiary Activities: These involve providing services rather than goods. Examples include teaching, medical services, transportation, and retail. Let’s see how these types of economic activities work in a real-life story.
Example Story
Kavya was excited to visit her aunt in the village of Kamlapur. On the way, she noticed a new highway being built. The construction workers operating large machines like bulldozers were engaged in secondary economic activities because they were creating something new-a highway.
When Kavya reached her aunt’s house, her uncle returned from his job as a bulldozer operator for a construction company. He earns a monthly salary for this work, which is part of a tertiary economic activity because he is providing a service.
The next day, Kavya’s aunt went to work at the village post office, where she receives a monthly salary. In the evening, she conducted online classes and charged a weekly fee, both of which are examples of tertiary economic activities because they involve providing services.
Later, they visited a mango orchard, where they saw a farm labourer named Sahil using a tractor to till the land. Sahil’s work is a primary economic activity because it involves preparing the land for farming. He earns a daily wage and also receives some of his payment in the form of mangoes, known as payment in kind.
Through this story, we see how different types of economic activities are part of everyday life, each playing a role in the economy.
The Importance Non-Economic Activities
Non-economic activities are those actions that people undertake not for money but out of love, care, or a sense of duty. Even though these activities don’t involve financial transactions, they hold significant value in our lives and communities.
Example
Examples of Non-Economic Activities
- Seva or selfless service is seen in many religious places such as temples, gurudwaras, mosques, and churches. An example of this is the langar, or community kitchen, at a gurudwara, where food is served to everyone for free. These acts of service foster a sense of gratitude and community, enriching the lives of both those who give and those who receive.
- Community participation is another important aspect of non-economic activities. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) is a collective effort by Indian citizens to keep their surroundings!
- Clean. People come together to clean streets, parks, and public spaces, contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment without expecting payment.
- Similarly, Van Mahotsav (the Festival of Forests) is celebrated in India to raise awareness about the importance of trees and forest conservation.During this festival, community members participate in tree plantation drives, helping to protect the environment while also building a sense of unity. These examples show that non-economic activities, though not tied to money, are vital for creating strong, caring communities and preserving our environment.