Capitalism and capitalists rarely surprise…. They really do take alienation to the extreme. Who needs the sagacity of Karl Marx, when Adam Smith said, capitalism’s division of labour turns workers ‘stupid’ and ‘ignorant’ – apparently into captivity and even death on the job.
The man whose whole life is spent in performing a few simple operations, of which the effects too are, perhaps, always the same, or very nearly the same, has no occasion to exert his understanding, or to exercise his invention in finding out expedients for removing difficulties which never occur. He naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become. The torpor of his mind renders him, not only incapable of relishing or bearing a part in any rational conversation, but of conceiving any generous, noble, or tender sentiment, and consequently of forming any just judgement concerning many even of the ordinary duties of private life. – Adam Smith, An Enquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (New York: Random House, 1937), pp 734-5.
Remain in Captivity
It remains unsprising, then, when it is expected that employees are ‘held captive‘ because firms provide all the benefits they may need (within captivity). Said Managing director of Australia’s Mineral Resources, Chris Ellison: “I don’t want them leaving the building.”
The head office in Perth has a restaurant, nine staff psychologists, a gym, and other facilities designed to encourage staff to stay in the office.
“We have a lot of different benefits that we have brought on,” said Mr Ellison, whose company has a strict “no work from home policy. Why have I done that? Because when I get them first thing in the morning, I want to hold them captive all day long. I don’t want them leaving the building.” (Source: The BBC)
It’s only slightly reminiscent of people held in captivity in prisons where all amenities and ‘benefits’ are provided, but the prisoners have to be ‘held captive’.
Death is the most complete alienation
In the United States a bank employee was found dead four days after she had died. The USA Today newspaper reported the issue:
Denise Prudhomme, 60, last clocked in at the Wells Fargo in Tempe at 7 a.m. on Aug. 16, the Tempe Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday. She was found at a third-floor desk in the office on Aug. 20, leading on-site security to call police. Firefighters also responded and pronounced the woman dead at 4:55pm, police said. Prudhomme’s cause and manner of death were pending as of Thursday morning, according to the Office of Medical Examiner.
According to police, an initial investigation found no obvious signs of foul play. An investigation is ongoing and authorities are interviewing employees at the Wells Fargo location to get more information. Wells Fargo workers reported smelling a foul odor but thought it was an issue with the plumbing, local television station KPNX reported citing an unnamed employee. At least one employee told the outlet they wondered why Wells Fargo didn’t formally address workers about the woman’s death initially.