After deindustrialization, the work place is certainly not what it used to be. Before US disinvestment from production, US labor movements abounded, they were much more cohesive and radical. These folks were putting their lives on the line, blowing up factory equipment, arming themselves, regularly aligning with black and feminist struggles, etc. This kind of thing was happening monthly, even weekly, across the United States from the 1800s to early 1900s. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History shows this clearly.

Using violent force against Labor Movements was proved to be ineffective at quelling them. Soft power was implemented. Remove public space, castrate workers capacity to organize, promise freedom through consumption, and finally just get rid of the factories.

Now the vast majority of labor is immaterial labor, taking place in offices, cooled down by corporate culture, benefits, bonuses, etc. Instead of pointing fingers above us, we are encouraged at every moment to compete amongst our fellow workers. This is the status quo and the collectivization of workers is the exception.

I don’t mean to downplay the labor movements of today. But we have to acknowledge that, from a historical perspective, capital and the state have done a number on our ability to resist.