INTRODUCTION
This paper outlines Marxian concepts in Workfare Street Cleaner, Crime Scene Cleaner, Poultry Factory Worker, and Stripper as in Bowe J Bowe’s book Gig: Americans talk about their jobs. The paper will use case studies drawn from Bowe’s book to explain the concepts. The study shows how Americans feel about their jobs and then relates their opinions to the concepts of Marxist theory.
CRIME SCENE CLEANER
Neal Smither is the owner of Crime Scene Cleaners. Their work involves cleaning up death scenes like homicides, accidental deaths, and suicide. He started the job after he lost his job at a mortgage-banking firm as the division manager. Smither did his research and found out that the few companies that clean crime scenes were not effective. The companies were not marketing themselves to a broad range of clients. He contacted a number of janitorial companies and later took a job with residential cleaning company, Mary Maids.
He acquired cleaning techniques from Mary Maids and later got his first job from a mortician to clean up a place where a woman suffering from terminal cancer had blown out her brains (pg97). Later, he got another job to clean up a place where a certain loner had died for almost three weeks without anyone noticing. It was a sight-disturbing scene and Smither had trouble cleaning up the decomposing body. The Marxian concept that applies to Smithers job is the theory of historical materialism.
The concept states that new progressive classes that arise relates to new forms of production but still struggle with the old. This Marxian concept illustrates Smithers’ situation and type of job in that, Smither checked out the old ways of cleaning that were available and created his company from the gap that existed. His aim was to make more Dollars from every new job he gets irrespective of the working conditions.
WORKFARE STREET CLEANER
Sandra White is a workfare street cleaner. Sandra ended up in the workfare due to a lay off from downsizing (p29). The reserve army of labor is a Marxian concept that describes Sandra White’s situation as a workfare street cleaner. According to Marx, capitalism depends on a reserve army of labor. The reserve army comprises underemployed workers, the jobless and workers who receive poor pays. The system uses such a reserve army as a threat against higher paid sectors. Marx states that women are common victims of the reserve labor since they have to take care of their homes thus ending up taking part time and low wage jobs. The system uses women to keep the reserve army of labor afloat.
Marx’s concept of the reserve army of labor applies to Sandra Whites’ situation. Sandra lost her job due to downsizing and ended up in the workfare because she needed the welfare check. Her experience in the workfare is instead a threat to her wellbeing. White was previously working at the bank and now she has to put up with the hazardous workfare job to guarantee her check. According to Max, White and her fellow workers make up the reserve army of labor. The concept of subordination and degradation also applies to the situation of Sandra White. Women are prone to being weak and subject to the men. The system associates women with vulnerability.
TEMPORARY WORKERS
Chris Real has done many temporary jobs. According to Chris, taking temporary jobs is quite tedious (p58). He believes that most large corporations in America offer temporary positions with the intention of saving costs. They do not give benefits to their workers hence the workers like Chris end up paying their dental bills. These companies only take in temporary workers whenever they need them and let them go if they do not need them.
According to Marx, capitalism infringes individual autonomy. The system does not want the workers to attain economic independence thereby giving them temporary jobs that do not guarantee them security. The concept of wage slavery comes to the picture when workers do not have direct access to the means of production and consumption of goods. Temporary workers like Chris only play a specific role and when it is over, they leave. Marx states that very few people own property.
SUPERMODEL
Bowe et al. (2001) describes supermodel Heidi Klum. Heidi Klum became famous after winning a modeling contest in Germany (p287). She became a celebrity and her life drastically changed. She started doing shows with other famous people and became a household name in America. Her lifestyle thereby means she belongs to the high class of society. Marxist concept of Polarization of Classes illustrates this situation. Peoples’ lifestyle in the society totally separates them. Workfare street cleaners and other people on the welfare program cannot compare with supermodel Heidi. Capitalism divides the society into two distinct classes.
CONCLUSION
Bowe et al. (2001) elaborates the opinions of Americans about their jobs. Different people doing different jobs explain how they feel about their work and give their opinion about their welfare. The paper has shown how different Marxian concepts apply to the various work situations. Marxian concepts on capitalism describe most of the workers’ situations. The paper has shown how the crime scene cleaner, the workfare street cleaner, the temporary worker, and the supermodel feel about their jobs. The Marxian concepts truly explain the sociology of work.
Works Cited
Bowe, J., Bowe,M. and Streeter, S. Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2001.
