3 ms·
“Exploitation” has (at least) two meanings: 1. treating someone unfairly for one’s own benefit 2. make use of & benefit from some resource Are you sure this la
by mattdeboard 3y ago
“Exploitation” has (at least) two meanings:
1. treating someone unfairly for one’s own benefit
2. make use of & benefit from some resource
Are you sure this labor pool isn’t being exploited?
- LewisVerstappen 3y ago> “Exploitation” has (at least) two meanings: 1. treating someone unfairly for one’s own benefit 2. make use of & benefit from some resource When you're referring to two people, then exploited always refers to definition 1. Have you ever heard anyone say "I exploited my employee" in a context where they're referring to definition 2? If you're talking about mineral deposits or something, then sure... you can apply definition 2. "The company exploited the ore's rich iron deposits".
- mattdeboard 3y agoLabor is a resource. That’s why the phrase “human resources” exists. Your contention that “exploitation” can’t refer to labor is a political construction, not a rational one.
- LewisVerstappen 3y agoWell, my suggestion is to avoid using terms with multiple meanings in a position where it can easily be construed in a different way then you intend.
- pjscott 3y agoEmployers are, indeed, making use of and benefiting from their employees. And vice versa. But so what? If they didn't benefit, they wouldn't bother.
- mattdeboard 3y ago> so what Indeed, so what?
- lucaspm98 3y agoThe first definition is the inherently negative common usage when applied to person-to-person or entity-to-person relationships. Applying the second definition to the labor market would mean every worker is being exploited, because no profit-seeking corporation (or resource efficient government program) would keep a workforce that is a net loss to the organization.
- mattdeboard 3y ago> Applying the second definition to the labor market would mean every worker is being exploited No, it means the labor side of the labor market is being exploited by capital. It means the capital side of the labor market is being exploited by labor. And yeah, that’s an accurate and correct use of “exploit.”