Didn't Marx say something about this, Tom? Jim Devine, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://myweb.lmu.edu/jdevine/
> I forgot to mention unemployment. N&B's discussion of > the importance of unemployment to capitalist power and > capital accumulation is very important. Unemployment > isn't just some regretable but unavoidable side-effect > of economic activity -- it's precisely what makes > "employment" enslaving. > > In this connection, I would like to mention Virno's > thesis number 4 that in the current epoch, "every > qualitative difference between labor time and > non-labor time falls short... It could be said that: > unemployment is non-remunerated labor and labor, in > turn, is remunerated unemployment." Although this may > superficially sound like recycled Situationist word > play, it takes on analytical force when we understand > unemployment as undergirding capitalist power. > > Or consider the unintentional admission of the > following anti-trade union diatribe from 1901 London > Times: > > "It was hoped to 'absorb' all the unemployed in course > of time... The motive of this aspiration, however, was > not one of philanthropy pure and simple. When all the > unemployed had been absorbed the workers would have > the employers entirely at their mercy, and would be > able to command such wages and such terms as they > might think fit." > > The Sandwichman > > ____________________________________________________________________ > __ > Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
