OBJECTIVES
To think through Marx’s theory on class relations in the new economy. To
learn how to write a theoretical essay with evidence for supporting arguments.
YOUR GENERAL TASK IS: to write an essay and apply Marx’s theory to
understand the new Gig Economy.
Marx was a 19th century guy. The technology he knew was limited to steam
engines, railroads, and, later in his life, telegraph. His theory on capitalism is
thus based on the early stage of the Industrial Revolution. That was the time
when low-paid factory workers labored in their monotonous tasks in division of
labor and lived in squalid conditions all over urban cities (e.g., Lancashire,
England). Marx’s friend and co-author Frederick Engels, whose father owned a
textile in Lancashire, was the person who supplied Marx all the information
about labor exploitation. Apparently, Marx himself hardly visited a factory
himself.
Neither Engels nor Marx could not imagine our new economy, namely, the
app-based gig economy in the 21st century. Companies like Uber, Lyft,
Doordash, Grubhub, and Instacart are redefining what “laborer” and
“employment” means. It is no longer clear whether workers in the gig economy
are laborers, employers, self-employers, or just “independent contractors.” It’s
also no longer clear if Uber is a workplace like an office or factory, or if it is only
a platform facilitating the search for independent work. As an example,
California Proposition 22 in the 2020 election asked voters to decide on this
issue (see Materials below).
For these contemporary questions about labor, students of sociology
need to rethink Marx’s theory. So how would we apply his ideas to the current
situations? Will Marx’s ideas be still useful for understanding our social
environment? To write this essay you will utilize the following materials.
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Materials You Need
1. Utilize Marx’s theory from Reading 7-Communist Manifesto and Reading 9-Alienated
Labor. NO NEED to consult other resources on Marx except these readings.
2. Consult videos posted in Week 7, 8, and 9.
3. News clips:
In the election of 2020, Californians approved Prop 22, which allowed companies like Uber
and Lyft to define their drivers as “independent contractors” rather than employees who
would otherwise qualify certain benefits from the companies. However, in August this year
(2021), a California judge ruled that the Prop 22 violated the state’s constitution.
Furthermore, in March 2021 a UK court ruled that Uber must pay workers benefit and treat
them as employers. Consult these news clips:
a. 11/4/2020: click here; for pdf file, visit Week 9 in Canvas.
b. 8/23/2021: click here; for pdf file, visit Week 9 in Canvas.
c. 3/16/2021: click here; for pdf file, visit Week 9 in Canvas.
4. Here’s a long list of Uber drivers’ own review about their job. You may take a look at their
experiences: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Uber-Drivers/reviews . In your essay, you could
quote these experiences, but keep your quotes to three or four words each person.
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT IN YOUR ESSAY
Here are some questions you may choose to write about. Generally, focus on how Marx would
understand gig workers and their work? If you were Marx, what would be your answer:
• Are gig workers the proletariats or the bourgeoisie? What about the customers?
• Who owns the means of production in gig workers?
• Do gig workers experience exploitation? If so, exploited by what, by whom?
• Does gig work produce alienated labor? If so, what kind of alienation (recall Marx has 4
types of alienation)?
• Do customers of these services also experience alienation?
• What has capitalism to do with this whole picture? Who is the winner here?
To help you think more, here are some characteristics of app-based gig work. These are mainly
about driving; but if you are working right now in the gig economy, you may help me update
these characteristics.
a. Drivers or workers use the company’s apps to find customers. The company apps
have particular algorithms which the workers don’t have control. What would
Marx say about control of production, as compared to the assembly line?
b. Rather than the company, drivers/workers cover their own costs of gas mileage
and other maintenance of their vehicles. Drivers own their vehicles. Insurance is
covered by the company while in working time. What would Marx say about these
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workers being owners of the means of production? Are they then the proletariat
or bourgeoisie?
c. Workers can decide when they want to work and when not to work. Time to work
depends on the workers: they can sign on any time they like. What would Marx
say? Is there real freedom in the gig work if workers can log in anytime, as
compared to the assembly line?
d. Workers are paid mostly by the amount of time they contributed to the work, but
the rate may change depending on the time of the day (e.g. is it a busy time of the
day?). Pay also vary by the place drivers are picking up work. Workers are paid
only when they are “working,” which exclude waiting time, for example. What
would Marx say about labor cost and the values that workers contribute to
production?
e. Workers are rated by customers after services, and the companies could use rating
to reward or punish the workers. What would Marx say about this in terms of
control? Company’s apt has technologies to monitor drivers during working time.
What would Marx say about this in terms of control?
Structure of the Essay
++ Your name and title of your essay ++
1) INTRODUCTION
2) SUMMARY OF MARX’S concepts and theory relevant to this essay (several
paragraphs. Imagine that your readers have no idea about Marx.
Introduce some ideas that will help understand Marx and his ideas of
economic activities. Keep this general and not about the gig work,
because you will focus on gig work later.)
3) POINT 1 (think of one argument you want to demonstrate regarding Marx’s
view on gig work. Use a few paragraphs here to explain and
elaborate your ideas in detail. Connect your ideas to Marx’s theory.
Yes, do make connections between the gig work case and the
theories. When you try to demonstrate your idea, please provide
“evidence” to support your argument; otherwise, this is empty talk.
Your evidence will be some quotations [short) from Marx and your
paraphrasing of his ideas from the reading.)
4) POINT 2
5) POINT 3
6) EVALUATION OF MARX’S THEORY (After you see the connection between
Marx’s theory and the gig economy, offer your evaluation about
Marx’s theory. Is his theory still useful for understanding the new
economy? why yes? why not? Plus reflection.)
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CITATION FORMAT
** ONLY In-text citations with page numbers are REQUIRED for any direction
quotation used. If you quote words directly from reading posted in Canvas, use
double-quotation marks. For this essay, it’s okay to ignore the APA format and
just use the following format. No need for a reference list at the end.
For example:
According to Marx, “xxxx xxxx” (Communist Manifesto, p. 13).
Marx says, “xxxx xxxx” (Alienated Labor, p. 125).