Historical Perspectives on Work Chapter 1

Historical Perspectives on Work

• Work is defined as any activity producing a socially valued product or service, including both paid and unpaid labor.
• Historically influenced by industrialization and capitalism, work evolves continuously; Schumpeter's concept of "creative destruction" illustrates this change.

Changes in Work over Time

• In late 1800s Canada, work mainly included farming, large families, and household economies gradually transitioning to "paid work."
• Presently, paid employment is predominant, with service jobs surpassing agriculture and manufacturing; dual-earner households constitute two-thirds of all families.
• Greater emphasis on higher education influences work dynamics and expectations.

Sociological Debates on Work

• Central questions include the relationship between work and wealth distribution, conflict versus cooperation in work environments, and the balance between individual agency and social structures shaping work behavior.

Work in European Feudal Society

• Characterized by subsistence agriculture, it involved labor-intensive work with limited technological advancement.
• Marked social inequality existed, with a small aristocratic class and a majority of peasants experiencing poor living conditions and few rights.

Origins of Industrial Capitalism

• Mercantile capitalism emerged in the 1500s, focusing on global trade and colonial exploitation, leading to the rise of a wealthy merchant class.
• The Industrial Revolution (mid to late 1700s) marked rapid social and economic changes through capital accumulation, urbanization, and the deskilling of labor.

Definitions of Industrialization and Capitalism

• Industrialization: Involves innovations like steam power and the establishment of factories for increased productivity.
• Capitalism: Characterized by a labor market where wage laborers create value under the control of owners, contrasting with the systems of feudalism and socialism.

Polanyi's "The Great Transformation"

• Industrial capitalism reshaped Western society with wage labor becoming dominant, massive shifts in production, urban growth, and declining agricultural roles.
• Emergence of individual rights and scheduled work (‘clock time’) became prominent, along with the advent of scientific management.

Canada's Industrialization

• Canada industrialized later (mid-1800s) with a "staples economy" based on abundant natural resources and a primarily rural workforce.
• At Confederation, 50% of the labor force worked in agriculture; by 1900, Canada became the seventh largest manufacturing nation.
• Ideal of the male breadwinner often clashed with low industrial wages supporting families only in the 1920s.

Industrial Expansion and Labor Relations

• The period from 1900 to the 1930s saw rapid industrial growth, introduction of scientific management, and significant labor unrest with numerous strikes in Ontario.
• High immigration levels significantly shaped labor forces, particularly in railways and mines, amidst poor working conditions and little regulation.

Intersection of Industrialization and Colonization

• Colonialism and industrial capitalism were interconnected; numbered treaties aimed to dismantle Indigenous land practices.
• Policies like the Indian Act entrenched systemic racism, relegating Indigenous peoples to low-status, dangerous jobs.

Theoretical Perspectives on Work

• Adam Smith: Advocated for capitalism as a driver of wealth and innovation; emphasized the division of labor and its benefits while acknowledging potential worker exploitation.
• Karl Marx: Focused on class conflict inherent in capitalism, highlighting exploitation, alienation, and the discrepancy between ownership classes (bourgeoisie vs. proletariat) as central to understanding labor relations.