Comments On Gorz’s View Of Labour

Starting from the labour perspective of liberation, Gorz explores the employment situation of contemporary capitalism, and build a unique and complete view of labor. Gorz’s view of labour has special theoretical source, which includes Sartrean labour theory, Marx’s labour theory and labour theory of ecological socialism. With the change of working environment of capitalism, Gorz made a thorough critique of capitalist labour when entering into the post-industrial era. He points out that the division of labour of capitalism is the root of all alienation, and expounds the forced labour, at the same time. He recognizes that it is the capitalist technology led to the alienation of labour and it is the economic rationality formed contemporary capitalism "new slavery". Then, Gorz put forward his view of labour, which can be summarized as:labour needs its own autonomy; and everyone should be fully employed; at the same time, housework should be recognised as social labour, workers should have flexible working hours;"produce less, better life"; and eliminate the wage-based labour, so everyone needs to be fully protected by the society. These are the aim of liberation of work. Finally, we make the evaluation of Gorz’s view of labour, that on the one hand, Gorz’s concept of labour has its positive aspects, inherited Marx’s labour thinking in theory, having implications for contemporary China to solve the employment problem and ecological protection; on the other hand, Gorz’s concept of labour also has shortcomings, its total negation of the present socialist labour system, ideological Utopia and too much emphasis on individual freedom and autonomy.