Há aproximadamente dez anos André Gorz morreu, deixando ideias estimulantes sobre os limites e a necessidade de superação ou desconstrução da sociedade capitalista. Sempre atento às transformações sociais, Gorz chegou, em certos momentos, a sintetizar tudo que havia de mais profundo e crítico na teoria social. Entretanto, é possível observar, em sua obra, uma oscilação em relação ao lugar social que o trabalho ocupa. O lugar do trabalho parece mudar em função do desenvolvimento das forças produtivas. Assim, a análise do movimento social do trabalho na sociedade capitalista, realizada por Gorz, permanece prisioneira de uma determinação tecnológica e de um conceito de trabalho limitado ao universo produtivo das qualificações profissionais. Neste artigo, tenho como objetivo problematizar a concepção de trabalho exposta por Gorz em três de suas principais obras: Estratégia Operária e Neocapitalismo (1964), Adeus ao Proletariado (1980) e O Imaterial (2003), demonstrando como a teoria social e as alternativas políticas desenvolvidas por Gorz mudam vis-à-vis o lugar social ocupado pelo trabalho nessas obras.

About ten years ago, André Gorz died, leaving stimulating ideas about the limits and need to overcome or deconstruct capitalist society. Always attentive to social transformations, Gorz came at times to synthesize everything that was deep and critical in social theory. However, it is possible to observe, in his writings, an oscillation concerned to the social place that the labor occupies. The place of labor seems to change in function of the development of the productive forces. Thus, Gorz's analysis of the social movement of labor in capitalist society remains a prisoner of a technological determination and a concept of labor limited by the productive universe of professional qualifications. In this article, I have objective to problematize the conception of labor exposed by Gorz in three of his main works: Worker Strategy and Neocapitalism (1964), Farewell to the Proletariat (1980) and The Immaterial (2003), demonstrating how social theory and political alternatives built By Gorz change vis-à-vis the social place occupied by labor in these writings.

Il y a environ dix ans, André Gorz est décédé, ayant laissé des idées stimulantes sur les limites et la necessité de supération ou de deconstruction de la société capitaliste. Toujours vigilant aux changements sociaux, Gorz est arrivé, à certains moments, à synthétiser tout ce qui était de plus profond et critique dans la théorie sociale. Cependant, il est possible de voir, dans son ouvre, des oscillations par rapport à la place sociale qu'occupe le travail. La place du travail semble changer en raison du développement des forces productives. Ainsi, l'analyse du mouvement social du travail dans la société capitaliste, réalisée par Gorz, démeure prisonnière d'une determination technologique et d'un concept de travail limité par l'univers productif des qualifications professionnelles. Dans cet article, j'ai pour but de problématiser la conception de travail exposée par Gorz dans trois de ses principaux ouvrages: Stratégie Ouvrière et Neocapitalisme (1964), Adieu au Proletariat (1980) et L’Immatériel (2003), en démontrant dans quelle mesure la théorie sociale et les alternatives politiques, développées par Gorz, changent vis-à-vis de la place sociale occupée par le travail dans ces ouvrages.

O objetivo deste texto é discutir algumas das questões propostas por André Gorz em seu livro Estratégia operária e neocapitalismo, publicado em meados da década de 1960, e situar este trabalho como parte de um conjunto mais amplo de estudos do autor em que a questão das transformações no capitalismo, nos países centrais, pós-Segunda Guerra Mundial, teria colocado a necessidade de novas estratégias para a ação do movimento operário e do sindicalismo. Um primeiro tema seria a relação entre as reivindicações mais gerais e aquelas mais específicas, e o papel desempenhado pelas demandas de tipo reformista na ação trabalhista; um segundo aspecto seria refletir, a partir dessa nova fase, à época, sobre os estudos de André Gorz acerca das mudanças mais gerais no âmbito do capitalismo e, por extensão, das sociedades capitalistas mais desenvolvidas; um terceiro aspecto, e que analisaremos mais detidamente, diz respeito à questão do local de trabalho, da empresa, da fábrica, da produção como locus fundamental da luta pela emancipação dos trabalhadores.

This text discusses some of the questions raised by André Gorz in his book Working-class strategy and neocapitalism, published in the mid 1960s. It situates this work as part of a wider set of studies by the author in which he explores the transformations in capitalism in central countries after the Second World War, focusing on how these prompted the need for new action strategies among the working-class and union movements. The first theme discussed is the relationship between general and specific demands and the role performed by reformism in working-class action. Secondly, based on this new phase, the article reflects on André Gorz's studies concerning overall changes within capitalism and, by extension, within the more developed capitalist societies. Finally, the article analyzes in more detail the question of the workplace, company, factory and production as a fundamental locus in the fight for working-class emancipation.

The problem to be discussed in this contribution is that many Christians, churches and theologians are often guided by no or merely a very vague (worldviewish) perspective on social life. Sometimes they are even inspired by unbiblical methods (e.g. earlier Marxism and contemporary neocapitalism or postmodernism) in their social analysis. This may be an important contributing factor for the sad fact that Christians often have very little impact on the broader social domain (the "public square") outside their personal and church life. Therefore this article looks at a possible solution in the following steps: It begins with a comparison between the three basic philosophies of society, viz. individualism, collectivism and pluralism. Then it provides a systematic exposition of a Christian-reformational, pluralistic social philosophy as a possible candidate. To indicate that a reformational social philosophy neither wants to pretend, nor wants to be regarded as a static dogma or ideology, the next section reviews some points of critique voiced by its sympathetic proponents. The fourth section investigates how this social view may inspire social change. Following the preceding, more theoretical exploration, it discusses possibilities for its practical application. In this way a complete answer (both theoretical and practical) is given to the urgent problem indicated at the beginning, viz. the little influence of Christians on the so-called public sphere.

Die probleem wat hier onder die loep geneem word, is dat Christene, kerke en teoloë dikwels deur geen of 'n baie vae lewensbeskoulike perspektief op die sosiale lewe gelei word. Soms word selfs van nie-Bybelse metodes (soos vroeër die Marxisme en deesdae die neokapitalisme of postmodernisme) gebruik gemaak om die samelewing te analiseer. Dit kan 'n belangrike bydraende rede wees vir die ongelukkige feit dat Christene dikwels weinig invloed op die breë samelewing (die sg. openbare terrein) buite hulle persoonlike en kerklike lewe het. Hierdie artikel ondersoek 'n moontlike oplossing deur die volgende stappe: Dit begin met 'n vergelyking tussen die drie basiese samelewingsfilosofieë, naamlik individualisme, kollektivisme en pluralisme. Dit gee daarna 'n sistematiese uiteensetting van 'n Christelik-reformatoriese pluralistiese samelewingsfilosofie as moontlike kandidaat. Om aan te dui dat hierdie samelewingsfilosofie nie 'n statiese dogma of ideologie wil wees of só beskou moet word nie, bevat die volgende afdeling 'n kort oorsig oor enkele kritiekpunte wat deursimpatieke voorstanders geopper word. Die vierde afdeling gee 'n aanduiding van hoe hierdie samelewingsvisie tot samelewings-verandering kan lei. Na die voorafgaande meerteoretiese verkenning, vestig dit die aandag op die praktiese toepasbaarheid. Op hierdie wyse word 'n volledige antwoord (teoreties en prakties) gebied op die belangrike probleem wat aan die begin gestel is, naamlik die geringe impak van Christene op die sogenaamde openbare lewe.