CONCEPT OF IMMATERIAL LABOUR IN POST-OPERAIST PHILOSOPHY AND ITS CRITIQUE

Philosophy

Abstract

In the article the main features of the concept of immaterial labour in Post-Operaist philosophy are unveiled. The authors consider the history of Post-Operaism, allocating its key moment as communication of Post-Operaist theorists with the new left and show that in their philosophical works much attention is paid to the changes of socialstructure of society. Formation of the so-called information society has essentially affected Post-Operaism perspective: its theorists possess the main merit in an introduction to a scientific turn and further development of concept of the immaterial labour, which has become today a platitude for the description of modern society. The main categories describing new society are immaterial labour, creative activity, symbolical work, affective work, economy of knowledge. It is all about increasing role of competence, communication, an affective component of new type of labour and new features in exploitation of this component in the conditions of capitalism. The authors show that in modern society the border between free and working hours is washed away that leads both to continuous development of individuality of the worker, and to a basic opportunity to exploit all the time of his life. Analyzing M. Lazzarato and P. Virno’s ideas of immaterial labour, and also criticism of this representation by S. Sayers andV.V. Orlov, the authors come to a conclusion that though modern theorists call «immaterial», nevertheless they doesn’t make a sharp opposition of material and immaterial labour. The abstraction of immaterial labour, according to authors, helps to see certain specifics of modern type of work, to distinguish it from the previous work types in theconditions of capitalism. This concept can work only along with a competent understanding of the essence of labour and the man and therefore it should not be treated in literal sense.