In economics, which one of the following activities would be classified as 'labour' as a factor of production, because it involves human effort used for economic purposes rather than purely for personal pleasure?

Introduction / Context:
In economics, labour is defined as any physical or mental effort undertaken by human beings for the purpose of earning income or creating economic value. Not every kind of effort or activity qualifies as labour in this technical sense. Activities done purely for personal satisfaction or love, with no intention of earning or contributing to the market, are not treated as labour in factor of production terminology. This question asks you to distinguish between economic and non economic activities using this definition.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Option (a) describes a musician performing at a ticketed benefit concert to raise funds.
• Option (b) describes a painter who paints only for his own personal pleasure.
• Option (c) describes reading a book purely as a hobby.
• Option (d) describes a mother teaching her own son at home without any payment.
• Option (e) describes a person playing music alone in a park just for enjoyment.
• We assume labour in economics means effort used in some form of organised or market oriented production or service, whether or not the individual personally keeps the earnings.

Concept / Approach:
Labour, as a factor of production, refers to all human efforts used in the production of goods and services that have economic value. The key elements are that the effort is not purely for self satisfaction and that it contributes to some form of output demanded in the economy. It may be paid or unpaid for the individual worker, but it should be part of an organised activity that generates or supports income. Personal hobbies, self education, and unpaid family care done solely for love or enjoyment are not counted as labour in this narrow economic sense. A musical performance at a ticketed benefit concert aims to generate funds and is part of an organised service, so it qualifies as labour.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider option (a). A musician performing at a benefit concert is using skill and effort to provide entertainment for an audience that pays for tickets. Even if the funds raised go to charity, the activity is economically productive and typically organised.Step 2: Consider option (b). A painter working only for his own pleasure is engaged in a personal hobby. There is no market output or payment, so this is not labour in the economic sense.Step 3: Consider option (c). Reading a book purely as a hobby is self directed leisure activity, not an input into production.Step 4: Consider option (d). A mother teaching her own son without pay is an example of domestic or household work motivated by love and responsibility, not organised market oriented labour.Step 5: Consider option (e). A person playing music alone in a park for personal enjoyment is also a leisure activity and does not create economic value for others.Step 6: Therefore, only the musician providing a performance at a ticketed benefit concert is clearly supplying labour as a factor of production.

Verification / Alternative check:
Economics textbooks often classify work into economic and non economic activities. Economic activities include those that are done with the objective of earning income or producing goods and services that are traded or valued in the market. Non economic activities include hobbies, family care, and charitable acts performed from love or moral duty, without an economic motive. A concert performance, even if for charity, involves a service for which people are willing to pay and which could be valued in money terms. On the other hand, painting for self amusement or reading as a hobby are examples of non economic activities. This classification verifies that option (a) represents labour.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A painter working only for his own personal pleasure: This is a hobby unless he sells his paintings; as described, it is not an economic activity.

Reading a book purely as a hobby in free time: This is leisure and self improvement, not labour in the production sense.

A mother teaching her own son at home without pay: Although very valuable socially, it is not counted as labour as a factor of production because it is not part of market oriented production.

A person playing music alone in a park just for enjoyment: This is again a personal leisure activity with no direct economic output to others.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse moral or social value with economic value and may think that unpaid family work should always count as labour. In economic theory, however, the classification is based on whether the activity contributes to market production or is undertaken with an economic motive. Remembering this distinction between economic and non economic activities helps in correctly identifying examples of labour in exam questions.

Final Answer:
The activity that counts as labour in economics is a musician performing at a ticketed benefit concert to raise funds.