Labour exploitation and division of labour: a metaanalysis of divergent ideological perspectives

Abstract

Division of labour has been acknowledged and praised by conservatives as the source of wealth to nations, without considering its exploitative effects on labour. Conversely, social progressives believed that division of labour is inhuman and demeaning in nature, particularly towards labour. The authors of this paper harmonises more with the social counteractions that, division of labour is a form of capitalistic labour exploitation, in the general capitalistic labour relations and, postulate certain ameliorating mechanisms to counter the lopsided effects of division of labour in the workplace. The aims of the paper are to provide an intellectual discourse on the phenomena of labour exploitation and division of labour, in addition to examine divergent social-economic ideological perspectives, and to pay particular attention to their impact on people in the workplace. The paper is a meta-analytical study, which relied on secondary data. It is a qualitative study that based on conceptual and philosophical analysis, theory building and “emic” perspective (author’s viewpoints).