Economics, Philosophy and the Neglect of Labour explores a fundamental dichotomy in the concept of labour: firstly, its reduction to mere instrumentality in production, a view originating from British moral philosophy and perpetuated by Adam Smith and his followers; secondly, the conception of labour as a purposeful accomplishment of collective goals, rooted in the Aristotelian tradition as further developed by Hegel and Marx. This book presents a critical examination of Heidegger''s efforts to undermine the latter perspective, followed by Lukacs''s counterargument that posits labour as the cornerstone of social practice and a driver of ongoing social innovation. Traditionally, as a subject of study, labour has fallen into the chasm between economics and philosophy, a gap that this book uniquely bridges. Geoffrey Kay and James Mott explore labour as the definitive model of creativity from the era of Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) to Butler''s "Analogy of Religion" (1736), then delve into the pre-history of modern labour. This examination reveals a dual perspective: on one side, a stigma attached to the productive efforts of the mechanical arts, and on the other, a recognition of labour as a valuable economic contributor. Offering an analysis of legal and administrative systems that perpetuate labour''s subservience to capital, this book also provides a novel reinterpretation of Marx''s labour theory of value that starts with the concept of profit in monetary terms, discarding the notion of abstract labour, thereby aligning Marx''s Aristotelian labour philosophy with his critique of political economy. This book treats labour as a timeless, socially neutral activity, one that needs to be analysed in categories that can extend beyond capitalism''s depiction of labour. In particular, it provides a platform for a rethinking of the categories in which we understand capitalism, as well as what it means to ''labour''.

Autorentext
Geoffrey Kay was Senior Lecturer in Economics at City University, UK. His publications include Development and Underdevelopment: A Marxist Analysis (1975), The Economic Theory of the Working Class (1979), and Political Order and the Law of Labour (1982), co-authored with James Mott. James Mott was Lecturer in Sociology at City University and Chair of the sociology and philosophy group until retirement. He is co-author of Political Order and the Law of Labour (1982).

Klappentext
Economics, Philosophy and the Neglect of Labour reasserts the significance of labour in economics and philosophy, both within and beyond the Marxist tradition. It explores how labour has been systematically neglected and misunderstood in Western thought - from its reductive treatment in biblical and classical texts, through its displacement during the scholastic period and the Enlightenment, to its marginalisation in modern political economy and law.

Tracing this long history of neglect, Geoffrey Kay and James Mott challenge the assumption that labour is merely instrumental - a view rooted in the British moralists and perpetuated by Adam Smith and his followers. In contrast, they draw on Aristotelian ideas of teleology, and their transformation in Hegel and Marx, to recover a purposive and creative tradition of labour. While Heidegger's ontology of Being, for example, excludes labour and creativity, Kay and Mott position labour as the vital site of creative activity. This not only challenges Heidegger's appropriation of techne but also affirms the enduring relevance of Aristotelianism in Marx's thought.

Revisiting the labour theory of value in light of technological transformation, financialisation and the expansion of consumption, Economics, Philosophy and the Neglect of Labour argues that labour remains central to understanding the dynamics and contradictions of the contemporary world.

Zusammenfassung
A novel examination of the nature of labour, drawing deeply on the history and philosophy of thought, and bridging the gap between economics and philosophy.

Inhalt

Preface

1. Creativity and Toil
2. The Mechanical Arts
3. Instrumental Labour
4. Purposive Labour
5. Philosophy and Labour
6. The Philosophical Negation of Labour
7. The Philosophical Affirmation of Labour: György Lukács
8. Labour and Capital

9. Beyond the Labour Theory of Value

   Bibliography