The Condition of the Working Class in Turkey
Labour under Neoliberal Authoritarianism
Çağatay Edgücan Şahin editor Mehmet Erman Erol editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Pluto Press
Published:20th Sep '21
Should be back in stock very soon
This insightful book explores the struggles of the working class in Turkey, revealing their resistance against neoliberal authoritarianism and systemic challenges.
In The Condition of the Working Class in Turkey, a thorough examination reveals the intricate realities of working-class struggles amidst decades of neoliberal authoritarianism. The political landscape in Turkey has been profoundly altered by regime changes, economic turmoil, and Erdogan's pursuit of consolidating power. While these events dominate headlines, the implications for the working class remain underexplored, making this study a vital resource for understanding their plight.
This book transcends mere commentary by delving into the lived experiences of workers through extensive field research and interviews. It presents a nuanced analysis of various critical issues, including workplace conflicts, the role of trade unions, the interplay between the AKP and neoliberal policies, and the challenges posed by migration, gender dynamics, agrarian transformations, and precarity. Additionally, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on workers is thoroughly examined, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by this demographic.
By uniting the voices of Turkish activists and scholars, The Condition of the Working Class in Turkey offers an insightful perspective on the complexities of working-class resistance against a backdrop of neoliberal authoritarianism. From self-management initiatives to organized labor movements and rural activism, the book captures the diverse forms of resistance that are emerging, illustrating the resilience and agency of workers in the face of systemic challenges.
'The most formative work in decades on the Turkish political economy and the devastation wrought by an authoritarian government on the country's workers. I highly recommend this book for all those who seek to understand the emergence of widespread resistance by an increasingly militant working class in Turkey'
-- Immanuel Ness, Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and author of 'Organizing Insurgency' (Pluto, 2020)'A deep and timely analysis with an overarching narrative of the Turkish labor markets under the conditionalities of late capitalism [...] An indispensable resource on the economics of labor'
-- A. Erinç Yeldan, Professor of Economics at Kadir Has University'Impressively comprehensive [...] The contributions not only cover the sphere of production, but equally social reproduction including the importance of unpaid labour in patriarchal capitalist structures, as well as migration as a source of cheap labour. A must-read for everyone interested in the role of Turkish labour in the crisis-ridden 21st century'
-- Andreas Bieler, Professor of Political Economy, University of Nottingham'This excellent book is remarkable for its courageous and insightful analysis. Against the grain of the contemporary near silence about the struggles of society’s surplus value producers who make a living in miserable conditions, this volume articulates the suffering inflicted and brings to the fore the collective forms of resistance to that suffering'
-- Professor Werner Bonefeld, University ofISBN: 9780745343112
Dimensions: 215mm x 135mm x 22mm
Weight: 321g
320 pages