A reserve army of unemployed workers structurally disciplines labor under capitalism

Evidence

A market economy requires a pool of unemployed workers who are ready to be hired to meet increased production demands. Within a capitalist society, these people are structurally competing with one another. Th e presence of these individuals guarantees lower labor costs (because workers are replaceable) and “naturally” disciplines the workers, who have an incentive to keep their jobs and paychecks. Under normal conditions, the reserve army of labor is replenished by the very process of capital accumulation: in their competition to lower commodity prices, capitalists constantly seek out new technological innovation, which in turn expels a segment of the working class from the process of production. — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 150

Categorization

• XREF: Clears the Marxist ‘reserve army of labor’ mechanism that later chapters deploy to explain austerity’s wage discipline. — connects to: Unemployment structurally disciplines workers and lowers labor costs in capitalism — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 150; The unemployed reserve army disciplines employed workers into accepting overwork. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism: An Intervention, 258; Depoliticized labor markets discipline workers through the threat of unemployment and lower wages — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 796 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Unemployment structurally disciplines workers and lowers labor costs in capitalism #corroborates (0.98) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 150
• The unemployed reserve army disciplines employed workers into accepting overwork. #corroborates (0.95) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 258
• Depoliticized labor markets discipline workers through the threat of unemployment and lower wages #corroborates (0.92) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 796
• A labor market favorable to workers triggers organizing and higher wages. #complicates (0.75) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 264