Question

1. How does Lefevre suggest that working conditions or workers' self-esteem could be improved? Are these suggestions relevant today?
2. What does it mean for a worker to be “alienated from his product”? Why does this happen? As a reminder, explanations have to be in your own words. This answer should be at least five sentences; the fact that workers are alienated from the product of their labor is the main point of the Marx reading.

Answer 1

Lefevre suggests that the working conditions needs to be improved to improve the self esteem of the workers.Because whenever there is better division of labor there will be a easier work access to people and it will improve the efficiency and productivity of the workers also.

This is relevant to the present situation also.The working conditions have an direct impact on the self esteem on the people if the working conditions are improved it will boost up the confidence and self esteem of the workers and will improve the efficiency and productivity.The division of labor can improve the productivity and efficiency of the workers.With the help of division of labor the complex or difficult activity is divided in to parts and shared among the workers and this will make work easier for the workers and they can improve their efficiency and this will boost up their self esteem

The concept of workers to be alienated from his product can be explained with the help of Marx theory of alienation.According to Marx due to capitalist mode of production the workers are exploited by the capitalist.Capitalists are those who owns the means of production.The workers are not given the entire profit that has earned from the production.The workers are only given the subsistence wages by the capitalist and the workers are made to fell alienated or foreign to their own products.In Marx theory of alienation Marx explains four types of alienation of labor namely i)alienation from the productivity of labor ii)alienation from the activity of labor iii)alienation from ones own specific humanity iv)alienation from others.The first two alienation explanation explains the concept of workers to be alienated from his own product.Eventhough the workers are the one who produces the product the ownership and control of the product is not in the hands of the workers .The ownership and control of the products are in the hands of the capitalist.Due to capitalist mode of production the workers will lose the ability to make decisions about their own actions ,and they are deprived to own the goods and services they have produced by their own labour and they fell alienated with others also.The main objective of the capitalists was to make profit which is termed as the surplus value in Marxian theory.The capitalists make surplus value by exploiting the workers.