Service Workers in the Era of Monopoly Capital: A Marxist Analysis of Service and Retail Labour

Fabian van Onzen's Service Workers in the Era of Monopoly Capital offers a Marxist economic account of service and retail work, highlighting the exploitation of workers and the political alternatives for ending it. It demonstrates the relevance of Marxist concepts for understanding the service industry and argues that the socialist transformation of society is the key to ending exploitation.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2022
Publisher: Haymarket Books

Service and retail work are essential components of the capitalist system, and Marxist theory provides a valuable framework for understanding their exploitation. Fabian van Onzen's book, "Service Workers in the Era of Monopoly Capital," utilizes Marxist theory to analyze the process by which service and retail workers are exploited by the capitalist class. The book reveals that service and retail workers are integral to the capitalist system and have significant power to transform society if organized effectively. Van Onzen argues that the key to ending the exploitation of service workers is through the socialist transformation of society. The book contains an examination of how service work could be organized under socialism and provides examples of how former socialist countries changed the nature of service labor.

One of the key concepts in Marxist theory is surplus-value. Surplus-value is the amount of value that is produced by workers in excess of the value of the goods they produce. In the service industry, surplus-value is generated through the exploitation of workers' labor. Service workers are paid less than the value of the goods they produce, and the difference between the two is called surplus-value. This surplus-value is then used by the capitalist class to increase their profits.

Van Onzen argues that the exploitation of service workers is a result of the capitalist class's control over the means of production. The capitalist class owns the factories, equipment, and land that are used to produce goods and services. They also control the labor market, setting the wages and working conditions of workers. This control allows the capitalist class to extract surplus-value from workers and to keep their profits high.

One of the ways that the capitalist class exploits service workers is through the commodification of labor. Commodification of labor involves treating workers as commodities, rather than as human beings. This means that workers are treated as objects that can be bought and sold, and their labor is valued based on its market value. This commodification of labor leads to a number of negative consequences for workers, including low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions.

Van Onzen argues that the socialist transformation of society is the only way to end the exploitation of service workers. The socialist transformation of society involves the nationalization of the means of production, the abolition of private property, and the establishment of a socialist economy. Under socialism, workers would own the means of production and would be paid according to their labor. This would eliminate the exploitation of workers and would lead to a more equitable distribution of wealth.

In addition to the socialist transformation of society, Van Onzen also provides examples of how former socialist countries changed the nature of service labor. For example, in the Soviet Union, service work was organized under a system of collective ownership. This system allowed workers to have a greater say in the production of goods and services and to receive higher wages. In addition, the Soviet Union provided a wide range of social services, such as healthcare, education, and housing, which were available to all citizens.

However, Van Onzen also acknowledges that the socialist transformation of society is not without its challenges. One of the challenges is the transition from a capitalist economy to a socialist economy. This transition can be difficult and can lead to economic instability. In addition, the socialist transformation of society can also lead to the loss of some of the benefits that workers enjoyed under capitalism, such as job security and the ability to accumulate wealth.

Despite these challenges, Van Onzen believes that the socialist transformation of society is the only way to end the exploitation of service workers. He argues that the capitalist class's control over the means of production is a fundamental cause of the exploitation of workers and that the only way to address this problem is through the socialist transformation of society.

In conclusion, Fabian van Onzen's book, "Service Workers in the Era of Monopoly Capital," provides a valuable Marxist economic account of service and retail work, as well as the political alternatives. The book reveals that service and retail workers are integral to the capitalist system and have significant power to transform society if organized effectively. Van Onzen argues that the key to ending the exploitation of service workers is through the socialist transformation of society. The book contains an examination of how service work could be organized under socialism and provides examples of how former socialist countries changed the nature of service labor. While the socialist transformation of society is not without its challenges, Van Onzen believes that it is the only way to end the exploitation of service workers and to create a more equitable society.

Weight: 350g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781642597967