Workingmen's

Workingmen's

Monday, December 8, 2014

Final Thoughts & Reflections

This class has provided an almost overwhelming level of insight into the exploitation of foreign labor throughout U.S and Western history. Living and studying in England for my entire life, we are taught about the tyrannical and abusive history of our country and-to some extent- this one. However, that is generally all it is taught as- history. Nevertheless, I am, as a lot of people are, aware that we still live in an unjust, racially and economically biased society that operates to serve a white and wealthy elite, and this class has provided such a deep level of context and sociological and economic theory that applies to today's world and assists us in understanding why and how Western society came to be this way. Delving into the technicalities of Marxist theory and the violent economics of corporate capitalism, this class has given me the confidence to engage in debates where I would usually shy away, through fear of them being too complex and economically-focused.

I came into this class expecting to predominantly learn about the African-American slave trade and the Civil Rights Movement, but was enlightened in discovering the extent of exploitation inflicted upon laborers from the Far-East as well, the feminization of their work and, therefore, their race. The image of the desexualized, emasculated and feminized Asian man is one that continues to be circulated amongst American and European culture and this class provided the context to help understand the origins of the popular, racist depiction.   

Whilst this class was largely centered around American history and politics, I couldn't help but relate a lot of the issues raised to those appearing in contemporary British society as well. We've talked a lot in class about the established, corporate elite keeping the poor working-class divided in order to distract attention away from their unjust economic disparity, and in England, as I'm sure is also the case here, we have an issue with people- often employed working-class citizens- labeling those utilizing the welfare system as scroungers and sponges and blaming them for taking all the money that should be spent on schools, hospitals, public transport etc. Well, this morning a man from South London called into a local radio station to explain what life is REALLY like for a lot of people 'on benefits' in 21st century Britain. His account utterly heartbreaking and I found it genuinely quite difficult to listen to, but I'd like to share it with you guys as it provides an insight into the 'underside of the rock' of the country I'm from and relates to a lot of what we've discussed in class...

http://audioboom.com/boos/2713731-such-a-heartbreaking-call-the-man-too-poor-to-eat         
        

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