Labour process theory and the legacy of operaismo: New directions, old problems

Abstract

Simultaneous with the rise of Labour Process Theory (LPT), Italy was the centre of a parallel and prominent theorisation of the labour process in an overlapping intellectual and social context: operaismo. Both have undergone a recent resurgence. This paper provides a critical commentary on the development and claims of operaismo, drawing out some comparisons with LPT. Diversity in the operaist traditions and trajectories are recognised, but the paper focuses on areas where contrasts and conflicts between LPT and aspects of operaismo continue to have salience. There are similarities in the ideas and goals of the two approaches, with both focusing on the dynamic interplay between labour and capital in the hidden abode of production. But operaismo is also an explicitly political project in that it seeks to identify privileged class subjects that can act as the vanguard of broader social transformation. Through an examination of a range of issues concerning changing workplace regimes and how to study them, we find this and other differences have significant analytical, normative and methodological dimensions.