The (Un)productivity of Reproductive Work and the Woman’s Exhaustion in Contemporary Times

ABSTRACT

Objective:

we aim to discuss the (im)productivity of reproductive work, potentialities and limits of capital expansion on this work to change the oppression that manifests itself in the conditions of exhaustion of women in contemporary times.

Theoretical approach:

starting from a Marxian perspective, we believe that debates about the productivity of reproductive work should overcome analyzes based on the immediacy of this work and apprehend the determinants that involve the absorption of work by capital as productive, reproductive or unproductive work.

Methods:

we collected secondary statistical data provided by IBGE, Sebrae and the British Cleaning Council, the analysis was based on historical materialism. Results: we demonstrate that capital has productively appropriated reproductive work, however, such appropriation has not meant changing the conditions of sexual division of labor and women's exhaustion.

Conclusion:

we conclude that instead of the transmutation of reproductive to productive work being an advance towards the emancipation of women, it has been a source of greater exploitation of their workforce and of exhaustion, since such appropriation does not overcome the exploitation that engenders the universality of oppression under capitalism, according to the needs of valuing value.

Keywords:
productive and unproductive work; reproductive work; sexual division of labor; social reproduction theory; women