Analyzing Braverman's Division Of Labor

According to Harry Braverman the division of labor is recognized as one of the earliest concepts in regards to the capitalist mode of production. However, there are different types forms of the division of labor that differ from each other. For instance, the division of labor in a capitalist industry is not similar to distribution of tasks, crafts, or specialties of production throughout society. Although societies were known to divide their work into specialties before capitalism emerged, they were not subdivided specifically into limited operations like a capitalist society would be. The differences mainly include subdividing humans and subdividing society in addition to sex roles and humanity. In addition, both forms of the division of
Sociologists such as Karl Marx’s take stances to defend the differences that usually go disregarded despite being essential to the distinction between social division of labor and detail division of labor such as when he critiqued Adam Smith’s pin factory by relating to wage laborers and capitalists . We can help determine the correct differences between the two by identifying how Braverman distinguishes the two forms of division of labor. In addition to the differences as well as social consequences of the capitalist organization of production, the differences between the forms of the division of labor including the positives and negatives can be analyzed by viewing the connection to the Babbage Principle and the effects it had on the events that unfolded during Rice’s play.

Before determining the more better form of division of labor, we must define and contrast both from one another. The social division of labor is mainly recognized as a characteristic of all societies, derivative of the specific character of human work,and is known to subdivide society (50). It was determined that each individual human is unable to produce in the accordance with the standard of every species. However, the
In this essay, I have already determined that social division of labor subdivides society while the detail division of labor subdivides humans. The detail division of labor is imposed by planning and controlling while the social aspect for the division of labor is enforced more chaotically. With the detail division of labor working under capitalist, there is a tendency to deskill workers which results in an expansion of the labor process by capitalists, wages being cut, and human development facing additional limitations. The capitalist mode of production which is involved with the detail division of labor is also mentioned to rule out eliminating scientific knowledge due to technology being a huge part of the deskilling process with the adding machine by Elmer Rice being an example when a machine that could add figures at a faster and more efficient rate replaced an employee who worked there for 25 years. In addition,the subdivision of individuals which is the detail division of labor can be considered a crime against humanity when the human capabilities and needs are not taken into account. This could be the case for Rice’s play considering Mr.Zero’s boss looked into what is best for the business rather than what Mr.Zero was capable of such as never missing a day of work for 25 years. Finally it has a relation to the idea