Re: The Worker / Employer Relationship

Suresh Naidu (snaidu@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca)
Sat, 19 Oct 1996 16:15:52 -0400 (EDT)


On Sat, 19 Oct 1996 QueeneMUSE@aol.com wrote:

>
> Suresh Naidu wrote, "because the fundamental relationship is one of slavery:
> worker-employer. There is a huge power imbalance there. And since there
> always will be more workers than employers, the majority of people will be
> screwed."
> >>
>
> I think that is the MOST condescending, giving no people respect, statement I
> have ever heard. Do you think these people are subhuman? Who gave you the
> godlike, better than the "majority" role here? Helpless victims of their
> boss...
> Are you a slave or a boss?
> I must tell you straight out: those "poor masses" , those "slaves" are also
> human beings with dignity and may not appreciate the kind of "help" you
> propose. Nor your labeling them as helpless or as slaves.
> This is the most irritating thing about this kind of "liberal". I have
> nothing against liberals,they mean well, but this kind of thing really is a
> blind spot. I live with it in my arts complex where everyone ostensibly vies
> for who can do the most to "help" the poor masses, the "others more
> unfortuante than we" - but it is actually self serving self congratulatory
> rhetoric.
>

I'm sorry, but tell me the dignity that a worker in a chinese toy factory
is the same as the dignity of Joe Coors. I'm not standing up for these
people because I tink they're subhuman, but becasue they ARE human.
Dignity comes with freedom, and it's very hard to be free while slaving
for someone else. Trust me, visit a sweatshop. Nobody likes working
there. They have no choice. They have no freedom. A choice between
wage-slavery and starving is not much of a choice. Notice how they
try to start unions to empower themsleves, only to find union leaders
"mysteriously" killed. They are possibly more unfortunate, but more
likely victimized by our society. It's not self-serving
to stick up for those who can't be heard, it's not self serving to
protest for human rights. Helping people has gotten a bad name, and by
reducing it's value you hope to destroy any traces of benevolence at
all.

Suresh Naidu
occaisonal student
math 1a, computer science