Thu, 2 Jul 1998 14:48:37 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 13:53:53 -0500
From: William White <wwhite@jaguar1.usouthal.edu>
Reply-To: wwhite@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
To: matthew@louisville.edu,
        PROGRESSIVE SOCIOLOGISTS NETWORK <psn@csf.colorado.edu>
Subject: Re: A Nation of Spectators?
I see a couple of potential flaws in your arguments.


> With these jobs going across our borders to other lands, should not
> we be happy that our brothers and sisters are gaining an opportunity to gain
> more from the use of their labor?

Marxist theory would anticipate this movement of jobs as a reaction to maximize profit
(shorthand version, sorry).  This new labor pool represents exploited cheap labor, a
sort of split labor market now based on global inequalities.  We should not necessarily
be happy about this new situation--we should (theoretically, and realistically) take
advantage of the opportunity to organize these workers against capitalism.  Difficult to
do when previously you may not have held a job.


> And in turn, should we not be ready for the
> challenge of increasing the skill in which our workers here at home will need to
> compete?

I don't necessarily agree that we should compete with global labor from a labor
perspective.  I am an ideologue, who sometimes takes theory and uses it in practice (not
enough as I should), and my inner feelings want to see these laborers join forces with
all other laborers in a common, united labor front.  Hence the term "Workers of the
World, Unite."

What the cruel world of capitalism does to damage these sorts of relationships we shall
witness over the rest of our lives.

By the way, has anyone else noticed the lingering discussion of eminent "Depression"
looming in Japan?  And the U.S. employment rate again began to rise this last month?
Opportunities for revolution--or massive cultural/social rebellion in the
national/global arena?  For me, it is a scary crystal ball we sociologists possess right
now.

Bill