Marx and the 'Reserve Army of Labour'
The term 'Reserve Army of Labour' was conceptualized and popularized by the economist and philosopher Karl Marx.
In his seminal work, Das Kapital, Marx used this term to describe the segment of the working class that is consistently unemployed or underemployed, existing as a pool of available labour power.
- This reserve army is essential for the functioning of capitalism, according to Marx.
- It helps keep wages low, as the threat of unemployment keeps the employed workers compliant.
- It provides a flexible workforce that capitalists can draw upon during economic booms and shed during downturns.
- Marx argued that capitalism inherently generates this surplus population or 'reserve army' to maintain its profit-making mechanisms.
Therefore, Karl Marx is the economist associated with the term 'Reserve Army of Labour'.