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I maintain there are only two classes: those that have to work to eat and those that don't.

It has been the masterful trick of the latter class to create divisions within the workers so that white collar workers look down on the blue collar workers, who look down on the pink collar workers who look down on the farm laborers.

That they don't realize that a strong labor movement would benefit them all is one of the masterstrokes of corporatist propaganda achieved during the 20th Century.

I've long advocated an advertising campaign along these lines:
Famous personality in sports or entertainment or the like say: "I'm a member of XXX union which provides me with benefits and looks out for my interests. Perhaps you should see if join the labor movement can do the same for you."

This can be repeated with workers from other sectors: teachers, police, firefighters, etc.

The concept of class solidarity seems to have died out somewhere around 1940 (at least in the US).

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape

by rdf (robert.feinman@gmail.com) on Sun May 31st, 2009 at 01:40:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"I maintain there are only two classes: those that have to work to eat and those that don't.
It has been the masterful trick of the latter class to create divisions within the workers so that white collar workers look down on the blue collar workers, who look down on the pink collar workers who look down on the farm laborers."

This has been the program of all political parties in Finland over 100 years. Previously the question was about agricultural land where the left tried to create "working class" farm laborers from rental farmers and the right tried to make part of them landlords. Politics never revolved round the economic questions. It is just a tool to achieve political power. 100 years ago it was noboby's political interest to liberate the rental farmers, today it is nobody's political interest to liberate labour. It was the land question then and IMO it still is.

by kjr63 on Sun May 31st, 2009 at 03:46:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Divide and conquer.  Race, gender, religion, have nothing vs. have a little.  Same old game.
by rifek on Tue Jun 2nd, 2009 at 07:58:34 PM EST
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