On Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 08:46 PM, Mark Baugher wrote:

> 
> I think the notion of the productive forces as neutral led Lenin to
> support Taylorism, which imposes bosses rules on workers rather than
> ensuring democratic control of workplace operations by the workers
> themselves.

Lenin did not support Taylorism.

"Competition, which is keenest in a period of crisis like the present, calls 
for the invention of an increasing number of new devices to reduce the cost of 
production. But the domination of capital converts all these devices into 
instruments for the further exploitation of the workers. The Taylor system is 
one of these devices.
–"The Taylor System—Man’s Enslavement by the Machine," 1914

Lenin did welcome increased productiveness of labor – so that workers could 
have a shorter day of direct labor:

"…the Taylor system, properly controlled and intelligently applied by the 
working people themselves, will serve as a reliable means of further reducing 
the obligatory working day for the entire working population
–“The Immediate Tasks of the Soviet Government," 1918

Branding this as "bosses' rules" is flat out false.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group.
View/Reply Online (#40518): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/40518
Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/117439078/21656
-=-=-
POSTING RULES & NOTES
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
#4 Do not exceed five posts a day.
-=-=-
Group Owner: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy 
[[email protected]]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Reply via email to