“The ideology of work and the ethics of effort therefore become cover for ultra-competitive egoism and careerism: the best succeed, the others have only themselves to blame; hard work should be encouraged and rewarded, which therefore means we should not subsidize the unemployed, the poor and all the other 'layabouts.'”

—  André Gorz

This ideology (which in Europe finds its most overt expression in Thatcherism) is strictly rational, as far as capitalism is concerned: the aim to motivate a workforce which cannot easily be replaced (for the moment, at least) and control it ideologically for want of a means of controlling it physically. In order to do this, it must preserve the work-force's adherence to the work ethic, destroy the relations of solidarity that could bind it to the less fortunate, and persuade it that by doing as much work as possible it will best serve the collective interest as well as its own private interests. It will thus be necessary to conceal the fact that. there is an increasing structural glut of workers and an increasing structural shortage of secure, full-time jobs; in short, that the economy no longer needs everyone to work - and will do so less and less. And that; as a consequence, the 'society of work' is obsolete: work can no longer serve as the basis for social integration. But, to conceal these facts it is necessary to find alternative explanations for the rise in unemployment" and the decrease in job security. It will thus be asserted that casual labourers and the unemployed are not serious about looking for work; do not possess adequate skills, are encouraged to be idle by over~ generous dole payments and so on. And, it will be added, these people are all paid far too much for the little they are able to do, with the result that the economy, which is groaning under the weight of these excessive burdens, is no longer buoyant enough to create a growing number of jobs. And the conclusion will be reached that, 'To end unemployment, we have to work more.'

pp. 69-70 https://books.google.com/books?id=WbpvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA69
Critique of Economic Reason, 1988

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The ideology of work and the ethics of effort therefore become cover for ultra-competitive egoism and careerism: the b…" by André Gorz?
André Gorz photo
André Gorz 4
austrian philosopher 1923–2007

Related quotes

Scott Adams photo

“Hard work is rewarding. Taking credit for other people's hard work is rewarding and faster.”

Scott Adams (1957) cartoonist, writer

Source: Dilbert's Guide to the Rest of Your Life: Dispatches from Cubicleland

Kim Il-sung photo

“What is Juche [the subject] in our Party's ideological work? What are we doing? We are not engaged in any other country's revolution, but precisely in the Korean revolution. This, the Korean revolution, constitutes Juche in the ideological work of our Party. Therefore, all ideological work must be subordinated to the interests of the Korean revolution.”

Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Source: " On eliminating dogmatism and formalism and establishing Juche in ideological work http://www.marxists.org/archive/kim-il-sung/1955/12/28.htm" (28 December 1955)

Divine Ndhlukula photo

“Women entrepreneurs have to work twice as hard to succeed... the best thing to do is to remain resolute, focused, ethical and preserve your integrity”

Divine Ndhlukula (1960) Zimbabwean businesswoman and farmer

Source: Lioness of Africa, 23 January 2020 https://www.lionessesofafrica.com/blog/2017/4/13/quote-of-the-day

Thomas Robert Malthus photo
Boutros Boutros-Ghali photo

“Riches should come as the reward for hard work, preferably one's forebears.”

Steven Runciman (1903–2000) British historian

A Traveller's Alphabet (London: Thames and Hudson, 1991); quoted in The Times Literary Supplement, February 2, 2001.

Thomas Merton photo
Richard Stallman photo
Johann Gottlieb Fichte photo
Pope Gregory I photo

Related topics