From: Dogan Goecmen (Dogangoecmen@AOL.COM)
Date: Wed Nov 15 2006 - 15:13:02 EST
Lets get back to normality. Below an abstract of my article on Marx's conception of labour. It is published in Turkish journal 'Praksis'. A slightly different German version can be found on the link _http://www.steinbergrecherche.com/dogangoecmen.htm_ (http://www.steinbergrecherche.com/dogangoecmen.htm) Marx’s Concept of Labour and the Flexibilisation of Work Conditions Doğan Göçmen This essay explores Marx’s concept of labour in the context of contemporary discussions about the flexibilisation of work conditions. It takes for granted that one of the most important debates in social and political sciences and philosophy refers to the questions and problems of labour. The thesis that is being underpinned is that Marx’s concept of labour provides the most reliable concept just because it presents the highpoint of the development of the concept of labour in modern times. I present first the general aspects of Marx’s concept of labour: ontological, teleological and sociological. Particularly in relation to contemporary concepts of actions I emphasise the comprehensiveness of his concept of labour. Having done this I then turn to the examination of the historical aspects of his concept. I focus on his critique of value theory of labour, which he developed within the framework of his essential critique of political economy. And finally I explore the question whether Marx’s critique of the value theory of labour is still valid. The exploration of this question is important because since the mid of 1980s we face often claims which question the validity of his critique. I consider this claim particularly in relation to the discussion on Fordism, Toyotism and flexibilisation of work conditions. I take thereby of course also into account proposals made by bourgeois sociologists and philosophers to solve the problems arising from unemployment and the reorganisation of the whole world of production. I close my essay by concluding that in the face of deformations and alienations, arising particularly from value theoretical foundation of labour, there cannot be claimed that Marx’s critique of value theory of labour is no longer valid. As opposed to these kinds of claims I suggest that any attempt to overcome these deformations and alienations would end up in a failure, if it does not question the very logic of the private ownership of the means of production.
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