What role does the organisation of labour relations play in the health
of a democratic society? Axel Honneth’s major new work is devoted to
answering this question. His central thesis is that participation in
democratic will formation can only proceed from a transparent and
fairly regulated division of labour.
The social world of work - where we spend so much of our time - is
almost unique in being a space in which we have experiences and learn
lessons that we can use to influence the attitudes of a political
community. Therefore, by shaping working conditions in a particular
way, we have a prime opportunity to foster cooperative forms of
behaviour that benefit democracy, both by making mental room for these
to flourish and by using the workplace as a rehearsal for democratic
interaction in wider society.
A job cannot be so tiring that a worker cannot think about political
events; a job cannot pay so little that one cannot engage in political
activity in his or her free time; a job cannot demand subordination
which inhibits deserved criticism of one’s superiors: economic
independence, intellectual and physical autonomy, reduction of strain
and crushing boredom, sufficient free time, self-respect and the
confidence to speak up, and the chance to practice democratic
interaction are all things which we must encourage in order to unblock
access to democratic participation. Honneth argues that the reality of
labour today increasingly undermines this participation - and he sets
out the conditions necessary for a reversal of this injustice.
Tracking the development of labour conditions since the birth of
capitalism, this important book engages with a vital topic that has
been neglected in democratic theory. It will be of great interest to
students and scholars in philosophy, sociology, politics and the
humanities and social sciences generally.
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Labour and Democratic Citizenship
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781509561292
Publisert
2024
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Polity
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter