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this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2023
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Antiwork
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We're trying to reduce the numbers of hours a person has to work.
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We talk about the end of paid work being mandatory for survival.
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it's not stupid; having a "reserve army of labor" of desperate people in unemployment willing to work for less than employed people is intentional.
Having all these people desperate to work for less wages than already-employed people do serves to drive down wages and therefore drive up profits for the employer class
Part of it is wealth disparity. Basic necessities take up a lot of the average persons income and they canot afford to higher someone like themselves to do things while those of great wealth can hire many with at most trivial impact to their income. It does not help that so few are involved in food production now so much of the disparity is disparity in production of necessities.
I think there are strong arguments in favor of the working class needing better balance right now.
You're right. The middle class is still hurting. It really should shake loose more of the top's wealth via union strikes, quiet quitting, etc.
This is also the real reason why conservatives are again pushing to do away with child labor restrictions in the US. If a child is allowed to do the job for a lower wage, it lowers the wage for adults, too.
I think it's part of the same reason for abortion restrictions.
IMO, abortion restrictions are about reducing women's independence, and keeping society patriarchal. That and keeping white people the majority.
It's just a happy coincidence that it could result in more poor people who are desperate to take any job, although infant mortality is up in abortion restricted states post Roe, so it may not quite work out that way.