Hegemony and the Politics of Labour: Towards a Discourse Theory of Value in Contemporary Capitalism

This book explores how labour relations and value production can be understood as discursive processes, challenging the deterministic tendencies of Marxist critique. It reintegrates discourse theory with Marx's critique of political economy, arguing that the social relations of labour in capitalism emerge as a hegemonic formation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In their groundbreaking poststructuralist discourse theory, Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe challenged the deterministic tendencies of Marxist critique of capitalism by emphasizing the contingency of discourse and politics. While discourse theory has since expanded beyond Marxism as an essentialist 'other, it has remained relatively silent on questions related to the core workings of capitalism. This book is a pioneering effort to bring the central categories of discourse theory into dialogue with Marx's critique of political economy. By reintegrating these two traditions, the book argues that the social relations of labour in capitalism emerge as a hegemonic formation.

The book's contribution lies in its ability to extend the reach of discourse theory to the capitalist economy. It explores how a post-Marxist account of labour, value, and class connects to the contingent politics of populism, offering a fresh perspective on the dynamics of power and inequality in contemporary society.

Through a rigorous analysis of a range of texts and empirical evidence, the book demonstrates how discourse is used to justify and reproduce capitalist social relations, while also shaping the political discourse of resistance and opposition. It sheds light on the ways in which hegemonic formations are perpetuated through discursive practices, such as the construction of common sense, the marginalization of alternative perspectives, and the reinforcement of social divisions.

Hegemony and the Politics of Labour is a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in discourse theory, political economy, and the study of power and inequality. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between discourse, capitalism, and social change, and offers insights into the potential for resistance and transformation in the face of hegemonic forces.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032576909