Log in

View Full Version : Social factory



hoopla
24th March 2006, 18:45
Can anyone give a short explanation of the social fatory?
As I understand it, capitalism resorts to technological advance to combat workers militancy - so that capitalists are able to organize workers outside the factory (overturning the opposition between capitalism and planning) thus extending the law of value to the whole of society, like students etc.
Is there anything important to add to that? Can anyone give an example??

getfreedropout
27th March 2006, 23:27
Here's how I understand it.

The social factory is when production colonizes all aspects of everyday life. Work becomes far more than 9-5 as it also includes my commute, the time I spend relaxing after work, the time I spend drinking to forget work, the time I spend in the hospital after a work related accident, etc. Life revolves entirely around work (ie. "the factory"). All of my activity merely reproduces myself as a worker.

Some autonomist marxists have gone so far as to say that all activity is productive, but I think this is ridiculous.

hoopla
28th March 2006, 04:07
Can anyone give a short explanation of the social fatory?
As I understand it, capitalism resorts to technological advance to combat workers militancy - so that capitalists are able to organize workers outside the factory (overturning the opposition between capitalism and planning) thus extending the law of value to the whole of society, like students etc.

The social factory is when production colonizes all aspects of everyday life. Work becomes far more than 9-5 as it also includes my commute, the time I spend relaxing after work, the time I spend drinking to forget work, the time I spend in the hospital after a work related accident, etc. Life revolves entirely around work (ie. "the factory"). All of my activity merely reproduces myself as a worker.
What I don't understand is, surely travelling to and from work would add value whether or not it is technologically organized by capitalists. Likewise, wouldn't someone always need to clean the house, what event is there that suddenly this would add value. Technology? But etc.