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Elizabeth Anderson, "Hijacked: How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic against Workers and How Workers Can Take It Back" (Cambridge UP, 2023)

New Books in Critical Theory

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The Work Ethic: A Historical Perspective

This chapter explores the Protestant work ethic and its two sides, discussing the familiar version described by Max Weber and the progressive perspective from 17th century Puritan sermons. It delves into John Locke's contributions to understanding the work ethic and his critique of exploitative capitalist strategies. The chapter also examines how conservatives like Jeremy Bentham and Malthus hijacked the concept of the work ethic to develop an ideology that perpetuated harsh attitudes towards the working poor.

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