Re: [OPE] Peer production and abundance

> OR more narrowly, without the exploitation of the masses
> the conditions of the labour aristocracy and new petty bourgeoise would
> not be provided for (of course I know there are plenty of those IN these
> sections of the population - eg academics - who deny such social
> differences and lay claim to better conditions because of 'science' or
> some such fetishised idea).

Hi Paul B:

The leisure time of the working class, and lack thereof, can be explained
by the history of class struggles within individual nations including the
special bargaining power of certain segments of the class which have
skills which allow them - under certain circumstances - to negotiate for
higher
wages and better working conditions due to the relative scarcity of their
skilled
labour power.

This is not to say that the class struggles in other nations and regions of
the
capitalist world economy do not affect the struggles by workers in advanced
capitalist nations. Obviously, there is a connection. But, it is not a
simple,
obvious, or one-sided connection.

> Thus all of this is predicated by exploitation and usually works towards
> the reinforcement of the system.

It is predicated both by exploitation and struggles against exploitation.
To its dismay, capital is not always and everywhere able to dictate terms
to
all segments of the working class.

In solidarity, Jerry

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Received on Fri Jan 8 20:50:09 2010