SOC 104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Petite Bourgeoisie, State Capitalism, Labour Power

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 104
• Professor: Lock Rebecca

Document Summary

When we step into capitalism we shift from away from the centrality of how we produce things. Bourgeoisie (owner): own the capital to invest and possess the means of production. Proletariat (workers): sell labour in return for wages. Relationships become more subtle than in feudalism. It seems that owners are giving to workers through a contract but the owner is still in power over the workers. Reserve army of the unemployed: as long as there"s a certain level of unemployment in society owners will have the upper hand because workers become replaceable when there"s others competing for the same job. They key to wealth is the worker. In order to maximize profits owners lower wages, and have less people working harder. Work is central to what makes us, us. Alienation: the experience of being separated from their labour. The system produces economic inequality and created dehumanizing work due to the hierarchy of power which creates a perpetual cycle.