Classical Liberals on Work

What is the nature of work according to Classical Liberals?

• Factory work, which rose alongside Classically Liberal ideology, is inherently unfulfilling and would be performed only as a means to survival. The removal of welfare will incentivise individuals into it.

How do Classical Liberals consider the organisation of work?

• Market forces compel firms to adopt efficient divisions of labour, as lower efficiency results in higher production costs.

• Individual liberty is overridden within the market itself.

• The prevalence of hierarchy proves its efficiency - if egalitarianism was more efficient, it would be adopted.

• The near-absence of large worker-controlled firms means hierarchy remains the most efficient form of work organisation.

What are the role of unions according to Classical Liberals?

• Unions promote their own self-interest at the expense of the rest of society.

• Higher wages cause the destruction of jobs, and cause price increases.

• Demands for goods thus decrease, as prices are higher, and employers must cut wages or lay off workers. Gains made by unionised workers therefore come at the expense of others.

• Higher wages cause inflation.

• Unions may oppose technological innovations that threaten jobs, and breed animosity and resentment in the workplace.

What do Classical Liberals propose to deal with unions?

The imposition of antitrust laws, and legal limitations on the right to strike.