Marx's Concept of Labor

Marx conceives of labour as form giving activity. This is criticised for presupposing a `productivist' model of labour which regards work that creates a material product – craft or industrial work – as the paradigm for all work (Habermas, Benton, Arendt). Many traditional kinds of work do not seem to fit this picture, and new `immaterial' forms of labour (computer work, service work, etc.) have developed in postindustrial society which, it is argued, necessitate a fundamental revision of Marx's approach (Hardt and Negri). In this paper I argue that Marx's theory must be understood in the context of Hegel's philosophy. In that light, I show that the view that Marx has a `productivist' model of labour is mistaken. I criticise the concept of `immaterial' labour, and argue that Marx's ideas continue to provide an illuminating framework for understanding work in modern society.