3 thoughts on “Discussion Board 4.2”

1. 1. The distinction between owners and employees is that Owner Class has a primary income from capital assets and hire people to do their labor. For example, landlords and company owners (whether they’re a huge corporation or a small mom and pop shop.) Employee Class is when someone is exchanging their labor power for income! An example of this would be teachers, factory workers, managers, art curators, etc.

   2. Adam Smith’s quote, “Labor is alone the ultimate and real standard by which the value of all commodities can at all times and places be estimated and compared,” means in my opinion that labor is the true source of value in an economy. The person who turned the sand into glass vs the person who created a corporation off that discovery and needed more laborers to help maintain product are very different but also seems needed in society. However, without the labor from the individual person, who took their time to perfect the product, there would be no business and therefore no economic growth.

   3. I agree that class is not an identity! I know several people who feel “upper class” when in actuality, using those terms (upper, middle, lower), they’d technically be in poverty. Class isn’t a mindset or something you can just think yourself into, although it can be a goal to go from owner to employee and vice versa. Class is tied to economic power and exploitation.

   4.In Reading 4.4, the idea that “class structures are built around a close form of dependency” comes from the mutual reliance between workers and owners. Workers depend on owners for employment, wages, and essential benefits like health insurance, while owners rely on workers to produce the wealth that generates the owners’ profits. For example, workers may need a raise to keep up with living costs but can’t afford to lose their job, especially if it means losing crucial benefits tied to employment. This creates a vulnerable dependency, where workers are trapped in jobs they might not enjoy because they rely on them for survival.

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2. 1. Parenti describes owners as those whose income “comes mostly from the labor of others”, whereas employees not only have to work, but compensation they receive for the value they generate (for owners) are vastly disproportionate. Parenti gives an example where the average private sector employee works 2 hours for themselves versus 6+ hours for the owner/employer.
   An example of an owner would be a large corporation like Amazon. Amazon’s income is derived from the physical goods made from others, marketed and sold by employees, shipped by others, etc. Amazon itself doesn’t make or sell anything, yet receives the vast percent of income generated from said workers.
   Employees would be the people who do the work of making the goods, marketing, selling, shipping/distributing said goods, but who receive a disproportionate wage from the value of the work done in order for Amazon to make their profits.
   2. I’m likely off the mark, but I read that quote as Smith saying there’s no value in any commodity until the labor is accounted for. From the initial stage of making a thing, delivering the thing and getting someone to buy the thing, none of that is possible without labor and thus, labor is the first item of value.
   3. I’m in agreement that class is not an identity. To compare class with sex or race, unchangeable traits people are born with, class is an ascribed status by whatever society has deemed it to be, it is a social construct.
   4. To risk oversimplifying again, I interpret the idea of class structures are built around dependency as those who have the most can control those who don’t (or have less). If food and water, the bare minimum needed for basic survival, are resources owned by and/or distributed by a corporation or someone wealthy, they can control the flow, location and pricing of these to those that need it. Since everyone needs food and water, that dependency makes them vulnerable to the whims of the owners, who can then also control who or how many people to hire to grow the food, ship and distribute the food, now also creating a dependency for employment.

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3. Reading 4.3 explains that the main distinction between owners and employees is who owns productive property and who must work for wages. Owners control businesses, factories, or capital and make profits from the labor of others, while employees do not own productive property and must sell their labor to survive. This gives owners greater economic and political power, while employees depend on wages to meet basic needs. For example, the owner of a large company like Sephora makes profits and controls the business, while a worker at Sephora earns hourly wages but does not own any part of the company. This shows how class differences are based on ownership and control.

   The quote by Adam Smith on page 28 explains that labor is the true source of wealth. It means that workers create value by producing goods and services, and without their labor, businesses would not exist or make money. However, even though workers create this wealth, they often receive only wages, while owners receive larger profits. This shows that workers have a vital role in the economy, but do not always benefit equally from what they produce. which I agree with because at my job i work, we have to be nice and sell/collect payment for jewelry pieces, without my coworker and I the company would not receive as much as they do because our boss has even said our strict attitude has not only sold more pieces but has made sure the open invoices get paid within the month, yet our salary hasnt increased and we dont get bonuses even for holidays.

   I understand the main argument of Reading 4.4, which holds that class is not an identity, meaning it is based on economic position as opposed to personal identity. Unlike race or gender, class depends on whether a person owns productive property or has to sell their labor to survive. This argument is important because it shows that class is about economic relationships and power, not personal characteristics. It helps explain why some people have more control and opportunities than others.

   Reading 4.4 also explains that class structures are built around a close form of dependency, meaning workers and owners depend on each other but in unequal ways. Workers depend on owners for wages to survive, while owners depend on workers to produce goods and services that create profit. For example, a fast-food worker depends on their employer to earn money to pay rent and buy necessities, while the employer depends on workers to run the business. However, the worker is usually more vulnerable because losing their job could threaten their survival, while the owner typically has more financial security. This shows how class relationships involve both dependency and inequality.

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