5 Assignment 03

Harry Braverman explains the being of a worker as the way social relations qualify different kinds of work rather than a condition that we can attribute to the type of activity that a worker performs. His writing showcases the structural evolution of the working class. He shines light on unemployment, underemployment, and the rights of labor. No matter the type of work, it is the accomplishment of capital. These classes are merely the processes of acquiring capitals liquidation.

Throughout history, people spent most of their time owning and mastering an acquired skill by transforming raw materials.  Every skilled craftsman worked independently. They single handily used their own tools and judgment to fulfill their jobs. Thus these expert craftsmen did both the execution and conception of the production; until capitalist management came along.

Capital manipulated all the knowledge, standards and principles of work. They eliminated theses skilled craftsman and produced a systematical conveyor belt. The beauty of the craft was torn into pieces for labor production. The purpose of expanding their capital is dependent on these workers. No longer did one individual do both the execution and conception of the production. But rather they delegated each task among many—assigning each person a small piece of the operation.  This form of labor could be learned within a matter of days, oppose to the lifetime it took for one craftsman to master a skill. More than two-thirds of the working-class reduced to a state of unimportance. Now only capital understands the full process. Selfishly this goal achieved the largest possible surplus; which benefits no one else.

The evolution of work has shifted new occupations. Through a single point of view, Braverman explains the distinction between productive and unproductive work. He defines productive work as producing useful objects, use-value, or a useful service not necessarily objects (Page27).  This does not separate the meaning of productive work by labor or non-labored work. Those in the field of clerical work and transportation work are part of productive labor. Even though these occupations aren’t necessarily hands on. They both are needed for production. Mass production has shown to increase revenues. It has resulted in the destruction of mom and pop shops by large department stores. Most industries that have increased their output had difficulties of maintaining their employees. This form of efficiency in labor resulted in huge unemployment gaps. Unproductive industries are responsible for the unemployment of the productive work sector.

Due Sunday, September 18th, by midnight. Word count: 400 words. Many of you included quotes in your writing assignment last week. Please note that you will not receive full credit if your assignment includes quotes. Make sure everything is in your own words. If you paraphrase (which I encourage you to do) make sure to include the proper citation.

In “The Making of the Working Class,” Harry Braverman (1975:15) explains that being a worker is primarily about the way that social relations qualify different kinds of work rather than a condition that we can attribute to the type of activity that a worker performs. Keeping this idea in mind, explain the distinction that Braverman is making between productive and unproductive work.