Digitisation – putting precarisation into context
Research Article
How to Cite
Herrmann P. Digitisation – putting precarisation into context. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia. 2020. Vol. 16. No. 4. P. 119-128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/lsprr.2020.16.4.10
Abstract
Digitisation is widely – and justifiably criticised – for its detrimental impact on social developments (securitisation of employment and social insurances), commonly understood as point of reference for heterodox policies. However, too often two shortcomings are underlying this view: (a) the confusion of the technical dimension of digitisation and its use as definiendum of business models and (b) the assumption of the validity of a socio-economic normal that actually never really existed. In the following the main argument is developed along the line that a widely underdeveloped perspective on the process of capitalism is the acknowledgement of its socialising character – leaving aside its appearance and isolating the analysis on individual capitals. While this is in very broad terms accepted (as matter of the antagonistic relationship between social character of production and the private appropriation of its results), it is not sufficiently elaborated if and to which extent this private appropriation is in actual fact a matter of violence. Leaving the ultimate answer aside, it is worthwhile to consider that from both, the socio-economic angle as well as from the regulatory side we are witnessing a kind of natural push towards a more radical process of socialisation, going hand in hand with processes of digitisation
Keywords:
digitisation, precarity, superconsumption, capitalism, mode of production, social quality
References
Dürr, H-P (2010) Warum es ums Ganze geht. Neues Denken für eine Welt im Umbruch; Herausgegeben von Dietlind Klemm und Frauke Liesenborghs; München: oecom Verlag
Selwyn, B. 2013: Social Upgrading and Labour in Global Production Networks: A Critique and an Alternative Conception. Competition and change. 2013. Vol. 17 No. 1, February. P. 75–90. DOI 10.1179/1024529412Z.00000000026
Selwyn, Benjamin, June 2016: Global Value Chains or Global Poverty Chains? A new research agenda; Brighton: University of Sussex. Centre for Global Political Economy; CGPE Working Paper Series; Working Paper 10 Accessed 05.02.18 URL: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=selwyn-global-chains-2016-w-imprint.pdf&site=359
Luxemburg, Rosa, 1913: The Accumulation of Capital. Translated from the German by Agnes Schwarzschild. With an Introduction by Joan Robinson; London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1951: 99
Varoufakis, Yanis (2020). Something remarkable just happened this August: How the pandemic has sped up the passage to postcapitalism – Lannan Foundation virtual talk Accessed 01.09.2020 URL: https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2020/08/21/something-remarkable-just-happened-this-august-how-the-pandemic-has-sped-up-the-passage-to-postcapitalism-lannan-institute-virtual-talk/
Porter, Michael E./Kramer, Mark R. (1999) Philantropy's New Agenda: Creating Value. Harvard Business Review. November/December 1999: 121-130
Planck, K. Philanthrocapitalism and the Hidden Power of Big U.S. Foundations; in: Momentum Quarterly; Innsbruck. 2017. Vol. 6, No 3; DOI 10.15203/momentumquarterly.vol6.no3: 203-209
Toffler, A. (1970) Future Shock; New York: Random House; Toffler, Alvin, 1980: The Third Wave; New York: Bentham Book
Tsing A. Supply Chains and the Human Condition, Rethinking Marxism. A Journal of Economics, Culture & Society. 2009. 21:2, 148-176, DOI: 10.1080/08935690902743088
Lipton M, 18 September 2019: Directors have a duty to look beyond their shareholders; in: Financial Times; ; 19/09/2019
Amazon Jeff Bezos Cuts Health Benefits for Part-Time Whole Foods Workers. Accessed: 19.09.2019. URL: https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Amazon-Jeff-Bezos-Cuts-Health-Benefits-for-Part-Time-Whole-Foods-Workers-20190914-0011.html?utm_source=planisys&utm_medium=NewsletterIngles&utm_campaign=NewsletterIngles&utm_content=18
Arthur B, October 2017: Where is technology taking the economy; in: McKinsey Quarterly: 8 Accessed: 19.09.2019. URL: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-analytics/our-insights/where-is-technology-taking-the-economy
Herrmann, P (2014) Social Policy – Production rather than Distribution. A Rights-Based Approach; Bremen/Oxford: EHV Academic Press
Campillo-Lundbeck, S August 2017: So will der Discounter mit seinem Frische-Programm den Wahlkampf aufmischen; Accessed: 21.09.2019. URL: https://www.horizont.net/marketing/nachrichten/Aldi-Sued-So-will-der-Discounter-mit-seinem-Frische-Programm-den-Wahlkampf-aufmischen-160663
Herrmann, Peter 2000: Value Theory – is there still any value in it? Revisiting Value and Valuation in a Globalising Digital World; New York: Nova
Marx K. (2010) Capital. A Critique of Political Economy; in: Marx&Engels. Collected Works- Volume 35; Karl Marx. Capital Volume I; London: Lawrence&Wishart. 45 p.
Haug F, 2009: The “Four-in-One Perspective”: A Manifesto for a More Just Life; in: Socialism and Democracy, 23:1, 119-123, DOI: 10.1080/08854300802635932; https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/currentstudents/undergraduate/modules/fulllist/second/en229/haug_manifesto_.pdf; 18/09/2019
International Association on Social Quality, 2018: Some basic assumptions on the social quality theory; https://socialquality.org/theory/; 18/09/2019;
Van der Maesen, Laurent J.G./ Walker, Alan (eds.), 2012: Social Quality. From Theory to Indicators;; Houndsmills/New York: Palgrave MacMillan
Brever J, 2016: This is How Capitalism Works; https://artplusmarketing.com/this-is-how-capitalism-actually-works-b2907d1b4d78; 15/09/2019
Negt O, 1973: Thesen zur Marxistischen Rechtstheorie; in: [Kritische Justiz; 1/1973]1-19; here: 11; https://www.kj.nomos.de/fileadmin/kj/doc/1973/19731Negt_S_1.pdf; 19/09/2019; translation P.H.Engels Fr, 1884: Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State. Preface [to the First Edition]; in: Karl Marx Frederick Engels. Collected Works. Volume 26. Frederick Engels. 1882-89; London: Lawrence&Wishart, electric book 2010. P. 131-133
Freeland Ch, 2012: Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else; New York: The Penguin Press
Selwyn, B. 2013: Social Upgrading and Labour in Global Production Networks: A Critique and an Alternative Conception. Competition and change. 2013. Vol. 17 No. 1, February. P. 75–90. DOI 10.1179/1024529412Z.00000000026
Selwyn, Benjamin, June 2016: Global Value Chains or Global Poverty Chains? A new research agenda; Brighton: University of Sussex. Centre for Global Political Economy; CGPE Working Paper Series; Working Paper 10 Accessed 05.02.18 URL: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=selwyn-global-chains-2016-w-imprint.pdf&site=359
Luxemburg, Rosa, 1913: The Accumulation of Capital. Translated from the German by Agnes Schwarzschild. With an Introduction by Joan Robinson; London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1951: 99
Varoufakis, Yanis (2020). Something remarkable just happened this August: How the pandemic has sped up the passage to postcapitalism – Lannan Foundation virtual talk Accessed 01.09.2020 URL: https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2020/08/21/something-remarkable-just-happened-this-august-how-the-pandemic-has-sped-up-the-passage-to-postcapitalism-lannan-institute-virtual-talk/
Porter, Michael E./Kramer, Mark R. (1999) Philantropy's New Agenda: Creating Value. Harvard Business Review. November/December 1999: 121-130
Planck, K. Philanthrocapitalism and the Hidden Power of Big U.S. Foundations; in: Momentum Quarterly; Innsbruck. 2017. Vol. 6, No 3; DOI 10.15203/momentumquarterly.vol6.no3: 203-209
Toffler, A. (1970) Future Shock; New York: Random House; Toffler, Alvin, 1980: The Third Wave; New York: Bentham Book
Tsing A. Supply Chains and the Human Condition, Rethinking Marxism. A Journal of Economics, Culture & Society. 2009. 21:2, 148-176, DOI: 10.1080/08935690902743088
Lipton M, 18 September 2019: Directors have a duty to look beyond their shareholders; in: Financial Times; ; 19/09/2019
Amazon Jeff Bezos Cuts Health Benefits for Part-Time Whole Foods Workers. Accessed: 19.09.2019. URL: https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Amazon-Jeff-Bezos-Cuts-Health-Benefits-for-Part-Time-Whole-Foods-Workers-20190914-0011.html?utm_source=planisys&utm_medium=NewsletterIngles&utm_campaign=NewsletterIngles&utm_content=18
Arthur B, October 2017: Where is technology taking the economy; in: McKinsey Quarterly: 8 Accessed: 19.09.2019. URL: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-analytics/our-insights/where-is-technology-taking-the-economy
Herrmann, P (2014) Social Policy – Production rather than Distribution. A Rights-Based Approach; Bremen/Oxford: EHV Academic Press
Campillo-Lundbeck, S August 2017: So will der Discounter mit seinem Frische-Programm den Wahlkampf aufmischen; Accessed: 21.09.2019. URL: https://www.horizont.net/marketing/nachrichten/Aldi-Sued-So-will-der-Discounter-mit-seinem-Frische-Programm-den-Wahlkampf-aufmischen-160663
Herrmann, Peter 2000: Value Theory – is there still any value in it? Revisiting Value and Valuation in a Globalising Digital World; New York: Nova
Marx K. (2010) Capital. A Critique of Political Economy; in: Marx&Engels. Collected Works- Volume 35; Karl Marx. Capital Volume I; London: Lawrence&Wishart. 45 p.
Haug F, 2009: The “Four-in-One Perspective”: A Manifesto for a More Just Life; in: Socialism and Democracy, 23:1, 119-123, DOI: 10.1080/08854300802635932; https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/currentstudents/undergraduate/modules/fulllist/second/en229/haug_manifesto_.pdf; 18/09/2019
International Association on Social Quality, 2018: Some basic assumptions on the social quality theory; https://socialquality.org/theory/; 18/09/2019;
Van der Maesen, Laurent J.G./ Walker, Alan (eds.), 2012: Social Quality. From Theory to Indicators;; Houndsmills/New York: Palgrave MacMillan
Brever J, 2016: This is How Capitalism Works; https://artplusmarketing.com/this-is-how-capitalism-actually-works-b2907d1b4d78; 15/09/2019
Negt O, 1973: Thesen zur Marxistischen Rechtstheorie; in: [Kritische Justiz; 1/1973]1-19; here: 11; https://www.kj.nomos.de/fileadmin/kj/doc/1973/19731Negt_S_1.pdf; 19/09/2019; translation P.H.Engels Fr, 1884: Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State. Preface [to the First Edition]; in: Karl Marx Frederick Engels. Collected Works. Volume 26. Frederick Engels. 1882-89; London: Lawrence&Wishart, electric book 2010. P. 131-133
Freeland Ch, 2012: Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else; New York: The Penguin Press
Article
Received: 09.08.2020
Accepted: 10.11.2020
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Herrmann, P. (2020). Digitisation – putting precarisation into context. Living Standards of the Population in the Regions of Russia, 16(4), 119-128. https://doi.org/10.19181/lsprr.2020.16.4.10
Section
SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
