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The Division of Labour, Capitalism and Socialism: An Alternative to Sayer
Author(s) -
Gough Jamie,
Eisenschitz Aram
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of urban and regional research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1468-2427
pISSN - 0309-1317
DOI - 10.1111/1468-2427.00056
Subject(s) - division of labour , capitalism , socialism , economics , authoritarianism , division (mathematics) , neoclassical economics , economic system , sociology , market economy , democracy , political science , law , communism , arithmetic , mathematics , politics
Sayer (1995) has argued that the division of labour has a structure that is distinct from capitalist relations of production, and, following Hayek, that it is determined most strongly by the use of knowledge by enterprises. Conscious coordination or alteration of the division of labour therefore usually result in reduced efficiency and in an authoritarian suppression of difference. In this article we argue that the division of labour in capitalism is strongly determined by conflict within and between classes, and that in the short term socialist policy can and should aim to alter it. A model of socialist economic coordination is presented which is feasible and ameliorates many of the problems of the capitalist division of labour. This model would enable the development rather than suppression of positive differences.