The working aristocracy is a concept from the field of history or a modern layer? Working aristocracy: definition

The labor aristocracy is a special layer that the bourgeoisie sought to bribe. This process became feasible due to superprofits from the export of capital in the colony. What, in essence, is the working aristocracy itself? The concept is quite contradictory. Let us examine it in more detail below.

general information

Thus, the labor aristocracy is a special category of people whom the bourgeoisie bribed at the expense of the superprofits received in the process of exploitation of the liberated countries and the redistribution of the national income. In particular, this became relevant after the collapse of the colonial system. In order to understand what the working aristocracy is, one must take into account the conditions of the scientific and technological revolution that began in the second half of the 20th century. The additional surplus value has become the most important source of bribery. It was extracted through the introduction of advanced technology in conditions of maintaining monopoly prices.

Features of education

The labor aristocracy (defined by F. Engels and K. Marx) originated in the 19th century in Great Britain. It included the bourgeoisified, privileged strata, consisting of qualified highly paid factory workers. They, in turn, consisted in closed guild trade unions. The class was engaged in reformist conciliation policy. The labor aristocracy was bribed by the colonial and commercial-industrial monopoly of Great Britain. Thanks to her, a huge part of superprofits stood out for the top of this class. This was done in order to slow down the labor movement and split it.

The Epoch of Imperialism and Further Development

With her offensive about what the working aristocracy is, learned in a number of other states. We are talking about France, the USA, Germany and others. The social arena of opportunism was the working aristocracy. This has turned into a kind of stronghold of social chauvinism. Lenin wrote a lot about the phenomena taking place. He considered the new trend to be quite philistine in his way of life, as well as the size of his earnings and his world outlook in general. In addition, Lenin said that the labor aristocracy is the most important social support of the bourgeoisie.

Features of the influence on the formation of the interlayer

In some capitalist countries, it is not the same. In this case, an important role is played by the correlation of class forces, as well as the political maturity of the working-class movement and its character. As for bribing the top in Russia, it was much smaller and weaker than, for example, in Western Europe and the United States. This did not greatly affect the working masses, as the leader of the proletariat spoke of.

Development after the 1-st world war

During this period, the positions of the labor aristocracy weakened noticeably. This was due to new ideological, political and socio-economic factors. There was a narrowing of the traditional layers. This was due to changes in the structure and capitalist production of the working class. The role of skilled labor has diminished. This was due to the wide spread of the in-line method and the pipeline. The global economic crisis was the strongest blow to the labor aristocracy. There was a significant undermining of positions. There was a weakening of the guild unions. Also, there was an increase in the influence of production professional societies.

Development after World War II

During this period, the power of the social system increasingly influenced the policy and internal processes of imperialism. The onslaught of the labor movement and the abolition of colonial regimes are noted. The monopoly bourgeoisie is spreading its ideology. At the same time, new methods and means are used, which also include "human relations". It is a question of demagogic propaganda of the equality of all workers. Thanks to this, more and more layers of this class were involved in the "cooperation of labor and capital". The labor aristocracy was sharply reduced. This was due to the flow of scientific and technological revolutionary processes. Thanks to them, profound changes took place in the structure of the working class. Its expansion was observed. This was carried out mainly at the expense of new detachments, which had more professional and general education.

Further development

So, the labor aristocracy has narrowed considerably. Despite this, some part of this class continued to have reformist illusions. This was also observed among the intelligentsia and ordinary employees. However, the whole picture includes the process of forming a large-scale front of anti-imperialist forces and a "revival" of social and political consciousness. This testifies to the fall of this class and the crisis of the bourgeoisie. Thus, the concept of "labor aristocracy" is no longer used in socio-political literature.

Features of the analysis

To conduct it in a particular country, one must take into account historical specifics. It also requires the calculation of numerous factors that can determine the size of the labor aristocracy, its political significance, economic situation and so on. All this represents a certain complexity for carrying out universal sociological planning. From a political point of view, it is necessary to determine the general features of this layer. It also concerns her prospects, historical development, general outlines and political expression. The problems of the labor aristocracy can be viewed both from the standpoint of a particular social force, and theoretical abstraction, moreover, in different imperialist countries. In Lenin's works, these materials are constantly repeated. However, he had no attempts to systematically determine the subject in detail. As for Vladimir Ilyich himself, the political motives for fighting against opportunism were paramount. Thus, a detailed sociological analysis of the aristocratic layer receded into the background. In the socialist movement there were many subjects for disputes. First of all, the role of the labor aristocracy in the class struggle in the imperialist countries was discussed, and not its existence as a whole. How quickly the privileged upper stratum developed was noted everywhere. In particular, this refers to developed capstrans. In fact, the Marxists did not need to detect this phenomenon.