Abstract

ALBANESI, Roxana. Recent history of the work and the workers: Notes about the traditional and the new, what changes and remains in the world of work. Trab. soc. [online]. 2015, n.25, pp.387-403. ISSN 1514-6871.

Referring to work is mentioning a complex multifaceted concept. At the same time, workers form a heterogeneous social group whose place in social structure is diverse. This article intends to reflect on the present characteristics of work. It presents a brief summary which refers to the different forms taken by the capital-work relation throughout time studying in depth the transformations occurred from the crisis of industrial capitalism to our time. The reflection on what has changed and what remains as tendencies in the world of work depends on the periodization used to approach the matter. The general evolution of capitalism shows that informality, precariousness and instability are classic working conditions when work is tied to self-regulated markets. The differences are clearly identified when taking as reference the Welfare State period. From a chronological point of view, the inequality of income between different branches and within a group itself is nothing new, but the degradation of working conditions and the lack of social protection are. In recent history, this situation is perceived by workers as an increase on vulnerability and risks. Unemployment -either as a reality or as a permanent threat-, flexible working conditions, weakening of the belief in collective solutions, social resignation and organization of individual and individualistic strategies are distinguishing features in workers’ recent history.

Keywords : Work; Capital; Transformations; Heterogeneity.

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