[PEN-L:27398] Re: RE: Re: Re: nemployment before capitalism

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, that is what I was saying.

On Sat, Jun 29, 2002 at 12:05:30PM -0700, Devine, James wrote:
>  To me this says tht the capitalists' economists wanted to abolish
> pre-capitalist _employment_, so that people had to work for capital. JD
>
> From: Michael Perelman>
> Let me suggest a different context.  During the mercantilist period  --
> yes, during capitalism -- the majority of the economists were very
> concerned about putting everybody to work; that is, eliminating
> unemployment.  The reason was the people had alternatives to wage labor.
> Once those alternatives disappear, the threat of unemployment rather
> than direct coercion become central to disciplining labor.<

--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx