Labor Intellectualization as a Social Phenomenon of Modern Capitalism

Labor Intellectualization as a Social Phenomenon of Modern Capitalism


Krasova E.V.

Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Assoc. Prof., Department of Economics and Management, Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service, Vladivostok, Russia elena_krasova@rambler.ru

ID of the Article: 9205

Rubric: Economic sociology. Sociology of Work

For citation:

Krasova E.V. Labor Intellectualization as a Social Phenomenon of Modern Capitalism. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2022. No 7. P. 53-62


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Abstract

From the second half of the twentieth century, a share of intellect in labor content has grown significantly. However, the changes are ambiguous in their manifestations and consequences for society. Intellectualization remains the most understudied issue in terms of its strong connection with the capitalist economy development. The author critically rethinks some common utopian views on intellectual labor as the highest form of human activity that makes possible overcoming the existing contradictions between capital and labor by means of maximizing individuals’ creative potential in information economy. The article considers intellectualization as a process that is consistent with the capitalism development on the base of information and communication technologies. The role of intellectualization is substantiated; it is to provide production using new technologies with labor resources of the appropriate quality. There are arguments that intellectualization cannot ensure changing nature of relationship between capital and labor and bring the economy beyond framework of capitalism, since it is itself determined by the capitalism. A trend of social inequality aggravation under the information economy and inherent intellectualization processes is indicated. There is a general conclusion that today’s capitalism with its desire for super-accumulation of capital and deep internal contradictions justifies unclear prospects for intellectualization under the strengthened exploitation and intellectual labor alienation.


Keywords
labor; labor intellectualization; intellectual labor; capitalism; public production; information and communication technologies; capital

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