That there even is a debate over raising the minimum wage tells you all you need to know about owners, shareholders, and capitalism itself.
⛓️ Workers used to be property
⚙️Taylorisation turned them into tools
🤖Automation turned them into a nuisance
⛓️ Workers used to be property
⚙️Taylorisation turned them into tools
🤖Automation turned them into a nuisance
🏛️Antiquity &🏰Medieval times
The production relies on indentured servitude. Workers are property ⛓️.
Lords own their serfs (property rights): they protect them (self-insurance) in exchange for their labour.
Masters have apprentices: they train them in exchange for free labour
The production relies on indentured servitude. Workers are property ⛓️.
Lords own their serfs (property rights): they protect them (self-insurance) in exchange for their labour.
Masters have apprentices: they train them in exchange for free labour
In a workers-are-property system, compensation is not part of the equation.
The lord/guild masters benefit from free labour. In exchange, they make sure their workers stay alive and able-bodied.
In such a system, the productive force of the system is a subjugated body.
The lord/guild masters benefit from free labour. In exchange, they make sure their workers stay alive and able-bodied.
In such a system, the productive force of the system is a subjugated body.
🏭Industrial revolution & 💰capitalism
The production relies on a chain of tasks that require no qualification. Workers become tools, cogs in a complex machine.
Work is alienating and, often, physically taxing.
The production relies on a chain of tasks that require no qualification. Workers become tools, cogs in a complex machine.
Work is alienating and, often, physically taxing.
As social movements start to develop, compensation becomes an issue.
As production operations become more complex, a need for further qualification also develops.
The productive force of the system is an able AND subjugated body.
As production operations become more complex, a need for further qualification also develops.
The productive force of the system is an able AND subjugated body.
As Foucault argued, the body is made able through disciplines (school, university, church, family).
Structures teach us the proper behaviours needed for our bodies to become productive and able: work, timeliness, rigour, dedication.
Structures teach us the proper behaviours needed for our bodies to become productive and able: work, timeliness, rigour, dedication.
Subjugation evolves from violence (slavery, corporal punishment) to surveillance.
Social norms are geared towards building a set of subjugated and able bodies that the capitalist can use to extract their profit.
Social norms are geared towards building a set of subjugated and able bodies that the capitalist can use to extract their profit.
As the industry progresses, people become more qualified and socially conscious.
They realise the power they hold, ask for better work conditions.
The rise of the middle-class in the 50s is due to this conjunction between a capitalist need and a more qualified pool of workers
They realise the power they hold, ask for better work conditions.
The rise of the middle-class in the 50s is due to this conjunction between a capitalist need and a more qualified pool of workers
The development of ndustry and manufacturing, together with strong worker rights, were a powerful driver of middle-class enrichment.
Shareholders needed productive bodies, and these bodies could in turn negotiate better terms for themselves.
Shareholders needed productive bodies, and these bodies could in turn negotiate better terms for themselves.
🤖Data revolution & automation
As jobs were first outsourced, then automated, the worker lost their ability to defend their compensation.
Robots don't negotiate raises, time off, or benefits. They don't care about working hours and work-life balance.
As jobs were first outsourced, then automated, the worker lost their ability to defend their compensation.
Robots don't negotiate raises, time off, or benefits. They don't care about working hours and work-life balance.
Capitalists immediately realised that machines were far better than humans.
As Western countries turned away from industrial production towards services, the need for able, productive, and subjugated bodies wasn't there anymore.
As Western countries turned away from industrial production towards services, the need for able, productive, and subjugated bodies wasn't there anymore.
Going backwards to a more feudal system, capitalists only need subjugated masses nowadays.
Perform the tasks that still haven't been automated and shut up.
Workers have become a nuisance that capitalists must deal with.
Perform the tasks that still haven't been automated and shut up.
Workers have become a nuisance that capitalists must deal with.
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