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Dreißig Jahre Politische Ökonomie der Arbeit

Thirty years of political economy of labor or: Why Harry Braverman was right

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Leviathan

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of the political economy of labor over the past 30 years. It starts with Braverman’s thesis that degradation of work had been the dominant trend throughout the 20th century. This assumption was frequently contradicted in subsequent decades. Academics as well as management writers argued that work and work organization were being transformed under the influence of rising incomes, rising levels of education and changes in technology. Instead of degradation, the future of work appeared to be characterized by upgrading and self-regulation. In reality, however, such positive trends have not become visible or only partially and in a contradictory manner. This can be explained using Braverman’s theoretical framework, emphasizing the issue of control, which has often been neglected.

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  1. Ben Dankbaar
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Oder wie Harry Braverman doch Recht bekam

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Dankbaar, B. Dreißig Jahre Politische Ökonomie der Arbeit. Leviathan 34, 242–269 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11578-006-0013-z

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