Workers’ health in Capital

Abstract

The objective of this theoretical study is to understand the debate on the issue of workers’ health in Karl Marx’s work. The text selected for immanent analysis consists of Capital, specifically chapters VIII, XIII and XXIII. Marx approached the issue of workers’ health from the observation of capital’s inherent need to extract more labor, reflected in wear and tear, illness, and death. Marx evidenced the occurrence of these processes, not only focusing on the production process, but also on the development of the capitalist production/reproduction mode. It is noteworthy, however, that the study of Marx’s work alone is insufficient to understand contemporary relations; however, without his study it is practically impossible to advance in the understanding of the capitalist mode of production, in its critique, and especially in its transformation. Therefore, understanding the issue of workers’ health today also involves the study of Marx’s work.