Re: Neo-conservatism and workers

Micheal Albert of ZNet refers to them as the coordinater class. He with 
Robin Hahnel have written about this in a number of books, one of which, 
Looking Forward, is online in its entirety on the ZNet site.

                                               Aaron Hoffer
>From: "g kohler" <gkohler@accglobal.net>
>To: "George Pennefather" <poseidon@eircom.net>
>CC: <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
>Subject: Re: Neo-conservatism and workers
>Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2000 21:08:04 -0400
>
>George --
>
>your post raises an interesting question which I have been pondering for
>some time.---
>
>You talk about some kind of subdivision in the working class -- "upper
>layer" and the rest, and discuss differences between them, in terms of
>ideology and political behaviour. For example, you write:
>
>"Objective developments in the character of capitalism have led
> >to changes in the social composition of the working class which has
> >essentially thrown up a new section within the upper stratum of the 
>working
> >class."
>and
>." This layer is an upper layer within the working class. It
> >is, in some degree, a transitional layer in the sense that some elements
> >within  it are in a fluid condition whereby there is a flux back and 
>forth
> >between the working and middle class. Consequently there obtains 
>ambiguity
> >within this layer as to its social identity --its definition in class
>terms.
> >This condition provides rich fertile ground for the blossoming of petty
> >bourgeois ideas."
>
>If you place that in a world(-)system context, it looks as if the 
>better-off
>layer of workers/employees in the rich countries (core, first world) could
>be considered as the petit bourgeoisie of the world system -- many workers
>here in modern Canada or in Switzerland, etc. have a petit bourgois
>lifestyle (house with mortgage, car or two, motorbike or sail boat, etc.) 
>--
>no comparison with the wretched working class conditions of 1848 Europe 
>(ten
>children, diseases, no food, 16 hour work days) or wretched working class
>conditions in other parts of the present world. This stratum of folks has
>been called "labour aristocracy", but you may as well call them "global
>petit bourgeoisie". What do you think?
>
>Gert Kohler
>

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