Re: Unproductive labor: imperialist countries

[Maoist Internationalist Movement <mim3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 10 Sep 1995 glevy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Maoist Internationalist Movement wrote:
>
> > Some at Monthly Review have noticed this and simply
> > changed the definition of productive labor to include
> > more white collar work. We at MIM stuck with the more
> > classic definitions and point to the pudding.
> > The parasitic working classes of the imperialist countries
> > show no tendencies to socialism and in fact organize
> > themselves against immigrants and workers abroad.
>
> So that we don't misunderstand each other, could you clarify what you
> mean by "the more classic definitions" of productive and unproductive
> labor? Why is the inclusion of many categories of "white collar"
> occupations as productive (of surplus value) troubling to you? In
> particular, could you specify which categories of white collar work that
> MR classifies as productive you believe should rather be classified as
> unproductive labor?

I will dodge this for now and read what has been said on the
conference on this subject already. I will say that being hired
is not in itself proof that one's labor is productive labor.
In these days hoards are hired for political reasons of the
compact between the labor aristocracy and imperialism. Others
are hired to assist in the realization of surplus-value and
play no role in productive labor.

>
> How is the alleged "parasitic working classes" lack of internationalism
> and socialist consciousness the proof in the pudding regarding how
> different categories of workers are classified re productive and
> unproductive labor?
>
> By the way, welcome.
>
> Jerry
>
Thank you for the welcome. It looks to be interesting here.
In an overall sense, the portion of the population engaged in
productive labor in the Third World is higher than in the
imperialist countries. That is one of the reasons that violent
class struggles and revolutions break out there more often
relative to the imperialist countries.

mim3 for the Maoist Internationalist Movement



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