So I announce that I’m no longer paying people to dig ditches. Rather, I’m paying them to work for me in general. When it’s sunny, I pay them fifteen shells for a day of ditch digging. When it’s raining, they stay inside and earn their fifteen shells cleaning and maintaining the tools. I’ve switched from paying them for the market value of specific labor to paying them what amounts to a retainer for “do whatever I tell you.” I now sort of own them. At least, I own them as long as they need the money.
