For the abolition of work. Yes really, abolish work! Not "reform work" but the destruction of work as a separate field of human activity.
To save the world, we're going to have to stop working! — David Graeber
A strange delusion possesses the working classes of the nations where capitalist civilization holds its sway. ...the love of work... Instead of opposing this mental aberration, the priests, the economists, and the moralists have cast a sacred halo over work. — Paul Lafargue
In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, herdsman or critic. — Karl Marx
In the glorification of 'work', in the unwearied talk of the 'blessing of work', I see the same covert idea as in the praise of useful impersonal actions: that of fear of everything individual. — Friedrich Nietzsche
If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it all to themselves. — Lane Kirkland
The bottom line is simple: all of us deserve to make the most of our potential as we see fit, to be the masters of our own destinies. Being forced to sell these things away to survive is tragic and humiliating. We don’t have to live like this. ― CrimethInc
They forced us to go back to the office, even though we were more productive at home, and there was a brutal pandemic still raging. They let the CEO of Delta set Covid isolation guidelines to more easily manage staffing. Biden shut down the rail strike. Etc.
It finally hit home to people that, like our forefathers in the labor movement, we ain’t getting less work days without some bloodshed. And some of y’all ain’t there yet.
people even voted in fascists because they thought daddy would come home and fix all this
Well both the main parties are fascists. There wasn’t anything else allowed through. Dems sued the socialist candidate off the ballot in my state.
i mean wordwide. the entire planet is shifting fascist
No, people in general are shifting left. Which is causing the governments to shift more openly to the right.
Why do you say that? I have the complete opposite impression. Working class people are wither going liberal or authoritarian/populist depending on the amount of studies they have and general vibe around them. People outside of that are really rare. Which honestly feels depressing.
Leftist policies are extremely popular among the electorate. But all western nations are now corporate captured and completely corrupted. So the only options for voters tends to be center-right neoliberals, who only promise mild reforms and never even keep those promises, or full-throated fascists on the far right.
So the bland neoliberals have diminishing support that translates into losses, with most people not engaging in a process that offers them no representation, and you come away with the impression that support for fascism is gaining in popularity. In fact, it’s that the systems are rigged and only pro-corporate fascists are permitted to win.
Look at voter turnout numbers. Millions of people are simply choosing to not support either major party- not shifting right. And look at what happened to progressive ballot measures last election. Broad and sweeping support nationwide, even in districts where far right candidates win.
And if you look at what western governments are censoring online, it’s mostly support for leftist policies and anti-war speech. This further creates the impression of a growing right, due to systemic silencing of the left: https://www.mintpressnews.com/tiktok-chinese-trojan-horse-run-by-state-department-officials/284353/
What studies are you referring to? Here’s the ones I’ve seen:
https://thehill.com/business/4869155-poll-approval-labor-unions/amp/
https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx
https://news.gallup.com/poll/642695/majority-disapprove-israeli-action-gaza.aspx
https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2024/4/26/voters-think-its-time-to-raise-the-minimum-wage
I think it's a bit more complex than that. In my country there are multiple Marxist parties and since we are a parliamentary system they have actual power. Still the general discourse tends to feel a bit more to the sides I mentioned. At the same time far right has been growing. But I agree people tend to be onboard with leftist policies. Maybe what the world needs is a pinch more leftist populism. Bring voters back from the claws of the far right.
Again, regardless of how it may feel, their numbers are not growing. The far right is growing in power- not size.
Anyone who’s read enough theory or history saw this coming for years. This was expected. Capitalists were always going to turn to fascism in the face of rising leftist populism. Fortunately, the same theorists predicted the capitalists/fascists will ultimately fall, and socialism/communism will follow.
We don’t need a “pinch” of leftist populism. That’s like saying we need just a little equality, or smidge more justice. We need an overwhelming flood of leftist populism, and a world where everyone can live with dignity. Plus, it’s the only thing that can save us from climate collapse.
Ok I can agree with you on that last part. But would you be ok with slide into an authoritarian government just because it was under a leftist banner? Would it be that different from a full blown fascist ruler? I've read plenty of leftist and anarchist theory and even if I can agree that it was a possible path, it was a path, not the path, same thing with eventual rise of socialism, it's possible, not a given thing. Also no need to be condescending I'm trying to have a polite conversation here. I wanted your personal take on why you think majority of people were left leaning, I didn't even disagree with it. The far right is gaining power because it's gaining size. People choose authoritarian and racist rethoric above the alternative because it's simpler. It's force above philosophy. That's why I said a pinch. Because if left populism goes in the same direction it will lead to the same conclusion even if the original goal was better.
Authoritarianism by the majority just seems like a euphemism for democracy.
I’m not pulling the numbers out of my ass. Many millions of people are now disengaged with what they believe to be a sham government. Look at the surveys and turnout numbers.
Neoliberals are just losing support faster than the far right. But both are shedding support.
Nowhere I said authoritarianism by the majority. And I'm not American so I'm assuming you are talking about the USA government. But let me see if understand what you are saying. Your take is that both neoliberals and the far right are both loosing support but that support is not going anywhere because people are just disengaging from politics? If that's the case I agree. But also I don't see how to re-engage people.
Easy. Re-engage people by helping them. But it would require not putting corporations first. The parties would rather lose than do that.
I have the same observations, people are confused and miserable. The easiest explanation is to just blame whatever minority is in fashion in your part of the world.
this is exactly my read. democracy is collapsing because the masses are voting in the fascists
The electoral systems are corrupted so that fascists are the only candidates allowed on the ballots. When the only options are Fascist A or Fascist B, surprise surprise, a fascist wins.
In the rare instances where an actual leftist makes it onto the ballot (not a neoliberal pretender), they tend to see huge turnout and broad support. Which is exactly why western governments are rigging the process to prevent them from gaining ballot access whenever possible.
I have a four day workweek instituted by a major corporation in 2023.
However it's four 10 hour days, no reduction in hours worked.
I love it anyway, that extra day off is nice to have.
I work 4x9, the govt only hss 36hr contracts and doesn't allow half days. Either 4x9 or 4x8+5x8 on a biweekly schedule.
Hardly ever really hit those 9 hours in actual work, but I do feel like getting more work done in my four days than in five.
Extracting the most hours of labour from employees was always more important than producing the most value.
Alternatively the execs whom regularly baulk at paying employees more for the same work, unsurprisingly, also baulked paying employees the same for less work. Productivity isn't considered in this equation (or that all work hours are not equal productivity wise).
This is actually because of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Capital expenditure can be amortised over the life time of the plant, while wages are not.
I do agree, but I also believe that with sufficient push from the employees these practices can change. For example the 8h work day (if I remember correctly) is a result from a similar push.
A four day work week is against the interest of capitalists. The labor market like any other market is governed by supply and demand. A four day work week would reduce the supply of work by 20%. So unemployment would have to go down, which leads to higher wages, which again lower capitalists profits. That is not to say that it is impossible and obviously a number of companies tried it successfully. However to actually do it at scale you need unions or other ways of large scale mobilization of workers. To be quite frank, workers are not organized well enough to get this done today.
I do agree, unions have played and I think will play a large role in the push for workers rights.
I'm guessing Elon Musk and trump happened. People are watching the US and think it's maybe better to wait with making the world nicer for everyone. Musk is already bragging that he wants government employees to work 80 hour a week, bect that's normal, while being paid less or nothing because apparently he would love slavery to be a thing again to better humanity.
Can we please just get rid of those people?
In Brazil is being debated on the congress, the law was proposed as 4x3, but the congresswoman that made the proposal said that the intention is to be debated and moved to 5x2, because in Brazil the law is working maximum 6 days a week with a 44hs week, with one day of paid rest. Hope the law pass so everyone can have 2 days a week to rest.
Best of luck, I hope it is accepted!
4x3 is a pipedream, but 5x2 for all workers in an incredible advance.
In my sector (financial services) everyone already works 5x2, but they're some companies offering 4x3 already, but they are very rare, if 5x2 became the baseline, more companion are going to offer 4x3.
That sounds nice, here (eastern Europe) all contracts are 5x2 it is not bad, but being so solid means nobody will even think of 4x3....
what country?
What do you mean?
The 4 day workweek thing was maybe not a global thing, I know in Western Europe it's been all the rage but I don't feel like it was discussed that much in Eastern Europe for example . Maybe they're asking because they can add more context depending on your perspective
Have you raised the question to your boss?
I have, but the idea here is to have a resources to point to when the topic is discussed. Not only by me, but everyone.