Class, Productive and Unproductive Labour - Journal of Alternative ...

Dr. Timothy Kerswellthat this assertion lacks a structural base. It is not untilthis assumption is questioned that it becomes possible toinquire into the nature of the relationship between workersin the global North and the global South.The potential for globalized resistance to capitalism isoften assumed as early as when Marx (2011) wrote that“Labour in a white skin cannot emancipate itself where it isbranded in a black skin.” Few have dared to question whythis might not be the case. While Marx expresses a noblesentiment, the vast differences that exist between workers inthe global North and those in the global South tend tocontradict the notion that workers on either side of thisstructural divide share common interests or aspirations.By contrast, there are arguments which stress adistinction between productive and unproductive labour as adefining feature of class. Poulantzas (1975:210) arguedfirstly that not all waged workers form part of the workingclass, just because all members of the working classaccording to Marx are waged workers. According toPoulantzas, the distinction that determines whether or notwaged workers are part of the working class is whether theyare involved in productive labour in its Marxist sense. Formost Marxists, productive labour has nothing to do with theutility or content of the product, but simply that the labourin question produces surplus value.It is on the basis of the productive/unproductivedistinction that Poulantzas excludes many forms of wagedwork from the working class. For instance, Poulantzas says“labour…contributing to the realization of surplus value, isnot productive labour; wage earners in commerce,advertising, marketing, banking and insurance do notproduce surplus value and do not form part of the workingclass (Ibid).” More broadly, Poulantzas disqualifies allservices labour in general suggesting that such labour doesnot produce surplus value. It is the argument of Poulantzasthat services involve the exchange between revenue orincome and labour power. In the case of services,Poulantzas argues that labour power is being purchased inorder to consume it directly, rather than to consume it in a23