# Precariatans of all countries, unite!



## somnambulist (Apr 11, 2011)

By Andrew Robinson

The concept of precarity has been developed by theorists emerging from the autonomist tradition as a way to think about changes in capitalism since the 1970s (when the tradition first took shape).

‘Precarity’ refers to the current economy, deeming it to be characterised by precarious labour, in which the availability and conditions of work are unstable and welfare provision is unreliable. It is contrasted to the Fordist and Keynesian order which preceded it. The ‘precariat’, a combination of precarity and proletariat, is taken to be the new revolutionary subject in this situation. It is distinguished from the proletariat, which is unified by its labour conditions, in that it is fragmented and molecular. It encompasses a range of subjects of revolt, from higher-educated casual workers in the media and culture industries, to undocumented migrants and sex workers.

This vocabulary first emerged roundabout 2005 in Italian and later European social movements, before spreading into academic discussions. The terms are used both in terms of the imposed precariousness of labour conditions and the possibility of new forms of resistance. The precariat exists between a state of anxiety and insecurity, and a state of being frightening to the dominant order.

As a negative phenomenon, precarity involves insecurity in terms of basic needs. It functions to make life contingent on capital and its constant movements and shifting demands. The absence of guarantees means bosses can use fear to dominate workers. Workers increasingly sell their time in discrete packages, as freelancers or casual workers, rather than being hired into a permanent job. As a result, the wage no longer covers the cost of workers’ economic needs. Workers experience a sense of being constantly on call, subordinate to another’s timeframe. In addition, what is known as the ‘social wage’ – the welfare services and additional incomes available through redistribution – has been reduced. 

Όλο το κείμενο αποδώ


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## nickel (Jul 9, 2011)

Επειδή είναι ντροπή να αφήνουμε τους νεολογισμούς να περνάνε απαρατήρητοι:
http://lexilogia.gr/forum/showthread.php?9195-precariat-πρεκαριάτο


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