Quotes on why Capitalism needs unemployment?

[R_P_A_S]

I'm looking for quotes or short reads on why Capitalism needs unemployment.

I also was wondering if someone could explain this Marx quote to me, please!

"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people."

[helot]

I also was wondering if someone could explain this Marx quote to me, please!

"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people."




Presumably that's referring to how with overproduction the capitalists often end up halting production and firing the workforce resulting in unemployment.

[pluckedflowers]

It might be a little tough if you're not familiar with Marx's terminology, but this section (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/ch25.htm#S3) of Capital is particularly relevant to your question.

But, in essence, capital's need for unemployment is quite simple to understand. Labor power is a commodity like any other, and therefore subject to the dynamics of supply and demand. If there is a shortage of labor power, its price will increase. If there was full employment, then workers would basically be able to dictate any terms they wished to the capitalists, since the capitalists would have no other options. It is only when there is a reserve army of unemployed labor that the capitalists can fully exploit their workers.

[LeftLibertarian]

Well i can only really give an answer in terms of liberal economics however to be honest, even their explanation is self-damning and basically an excuse for oppression. Basically the economy needs a perpetual state of unemployment and inequality in general because it fuels ambition to succeed therefore creating competition.

Of course its all bullshit, the poorest segments of society remain disenfranchised and it allows for employers to employ people at a low wage because they need money to ya'know live. The whole idea is that somehow paying people less and keeping people unemployed means MORE people have jobs and people earn HIGHER wages... makes sense... If you're a director of a company who needs an extra bonus that is.