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The Precariat
Book

The Precariat

The New Dangerous Class

Bloomsbury, 2014
First Edition: 2011 Mehr


Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

Guy Standing, professor of development studies at the University of London, offers an unprecedented, necessary and articulate examination of a dominant, crucial consequence of globalization: the creation and maintenance of a seemingly permanent, worldwide, growing underclass of migrant, underpaid, exploited, short-term workers, the “precariat.” Their jobs and social positions are just that: precarious. This group includes millions of people from rural China who flock to the cities to work for low wages, women in many places working service jobs without contracts, and youth disenfranchised by a lack of opportunities for a career or even a stable job. Standing explains how globalization forced them into this way of life and argues for their reintegration into mainstream society. While always politically neutral, getAbstract recommends his important, eye-opening and groundbreaking report to students, NGO officials, policy makers, CEOs, HR personnel, and anyone delving into business, politics and the consequences of globalization.

Take-Aways

  • Globalization commodifies everything.
  • The advance of globalization – featuring businesses and states seeking cheaper labor everywhere – increases the number of people doing “insecure forms” of work.
  • People in the “precariat” live precarious lives of anxiety, doubt, poverty and embarrassment.

About the Author

Professor of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, Guy Standing also wrote A Precariat Charter and Basic Income: A Transformative Policy for India.


Comment on this summary or Diskussion beginnen

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    J. L. 8 years ago
    This is just socialist propaganda. Why not pursue the truth?
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    E. C. 8 years ago
    Excellent analysis, the proposed "basic income", a noble idea, is extremely dangerous in the hands of populist governments.