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Why and how do capitalists divide labor? From Marglin and back again through Babbage and Marx

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  • Bruno Tinel

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Nearly four decades ago, Stephen Marglin explored the origins of hierarchy in capitalist production with a divide and conquer hypothesis based on the idea that the monopolisation of knowledge about production technology plays a major role in explaining how workers are deprived of control over the labour process. Nevertheless, this explanation has some shortcomings that Marx and Babbage had avoided. Those two authors provided a highly accurate and convincing interpretation of the division of labour that remains relevant. The present paper proposes a general synthesis of their analysis. Two points are emphasised: (1) the division of labour plays a major role in wage determination; and (2) the division of labour largely determines the form of subjection of labour to capital.

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  • Bruno Tinel, 2013. "Why and how do capitalists divide labor? From Marglin and back again through Babbage and Marx," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-00763837, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:hal-00763837
    DOI: 10.1080/09538259.2013.775825
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00763837
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Groenewegen, P D, 1977. "Adam Smith and the Division of Labour: A Bicentenary Estimate," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(29), pages 161-174, December.
    2. Bruno Tinel, 2004. ""A quoi servent les patrons?" Marglin et les radicaux américains," Post-Print halshs-00266343, HAL.
    3. Carlo Vercellone, 2007. "From Formal Subsumption to General Intellect: Elements for a Marxist Reading of the Thesis of Cognitive Capitalism, in Historical Materialism," Post-Print halshs-00263661, HAL.
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    7. Stephen A. Marglin, 1984. "Knowledge and Power," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Frank H. Stephen (ed.), Firms, Organization and Labour, chapter 9, pages 146-164, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Lazonick, William, 1979. "Industrial Relations and Technical Change: The Case of the Self-Acting Mule," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 3(3), pages 231-262, September.
    9. Bruno Tinel, 2004. ""A quoi servent les patrons?" Marglin et les radicaux américains," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00266343, HAL.
    10. Andrea Lavezzi, 2003. "Smith, Marshall and Young on division of labour and economic growth," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 81-108.
    11. Carlo Vercellone, 2007. "From Formal Subsumption to General Intellect: Elements for a Marxist Reading of the Thesis of Cognitive Capitalism, in Historical Materialism," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00263661, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Monica Hernandez, 2017. "Inequality as Lack of Co-operation in Economic Thought," Working Papers 1718, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2017.

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