‘Work’ as we know it, is a modern invention, writes André Gorz.

Elaborate on the distinctive features of the modern notion of labor that emerged with the advent of manufacturing capitalism.

Work & Labor under capitalism has become a commodity and the labor time and services can be bought for a certain amount of money called “wage” that is always quite lesser than the actual cost of that time and effort. The concept of wage has something inherent to it that it is to secure the capitalist and give him a guarantee and certainty to get the required work done on defined time, because this is something he has paid for and the labor got agreed upon. The concept also enables capitalist to have “surplus” labor that he sells to his customers and claim huge profits while the labor not owning any assets of production, do not get anything but his fixed wage. The capitalist argues that he takes the risk and because of that risk he deserves all that profit but that is not really true as in cases of severe loss even the labor who work for him bear a fraction of it (a greater fraction in communities with no proper rule and regulations for labor, work and wages).

Credits :
Author of this analysis, Mr. Hamid Saeed is CEO Shahruh Technologies (PVT) LTD. The analysis is done as part of research at Information Technology University, Lahore Under the supervision of Dr. Abubakar Khan and Ms Amna Anwar for the course of Firms & Society.