Capitalism is an economic system predicated on exploitation of the working class by the capitalist class…in our world today that seems truer then ever yet its not clear what class and classes are. This months reading group focuses on the questions of what are classes, how are they formed, and how does capitalism as an economic system shape them? How does class relate to race and gender?
Readings:
“Class Analysis in the Marxist Tradition”: An excerpt from a longer article. Provides an overview of Marxist views and debates about the meaning of class and how it shaped by capitalisms endless drive for growth. (6 pages)
“American Working Class-Growing Diversity and Downward Mobility”: Excerpt from Kim Moody’s Superb new book “On New Terrain: How Capital is Reshaping the Battleground of Class Conflict.” Discusses the transformation of the American working class during the neoliberal era, including increasing diversity and the downward mobility of professionals such as teachers into the working class, an insight with relevance to the current strike wave among teachers in multiple states. (7 pages)
“A Short Description of the US Class Structure”: Excerpt from a longer article. Provides a short and easy overview of the major class categories in American society, the working class, middle class, capitalist class, and ruling class. (2 pages)
“The Politics of Class and the Long Shadow of Racism Part 1”: Historical overview of how racism shaped the class consciousness of the British working. Crucial for understanding how class and race can help constitute each other.
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/the_politics_of_class_and_the_long_shadow_of_racism
Highly highly suggested additional readings.
“The Politics of Class and the Long Shadow of Racism Part 2”: The must read second part showing the role of anti-racism in British working class history.
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/anti_racism_working_class_formation_and_the_significance_of_the_racialized
“How Not to Skip Class: Social Reproduction of Labor and the Global Working Class”: A masterful overview of how class works under capitalism using feminist social reproduction theory.
https://www.viewpointmag.com/2015/10/31/how-not-to-skip-class-social-reproduction-of-labor-and-the-global-working-class/
“The State American Labor”: Kim Moody’s overview of transformation and precariousness in the American working class
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/06/precariat-labor-us-workers-uber-walmart-gig-economy
Join us at the Cleveland Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch – 1962 Stokes Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106 starting at 3:45 pm, on Apr. 21st.