Disciplinary revolutions in colonial societies can help us answer questions about the early
modern world. Among those who have researched this history is Marcel van der Linden. To
support his argument, he cites three separate events that argue for the disciplinary revolution's
emergence in individual colonies. In his argument, Linden shows how vital inventions were
developed outside of the North Atlantic region, to control unfree workers, how some of these
inventions date back far before the Industrial Revolution, and how knowledge about such
innovations travelled throughout the world. His argument is supported by the origins of
modern labour-management, Karl Marx’s study of subsumption, and subsumption as a
concept.
A new modern form of labour, based on choice, replaced an old precapitalist form of unfree
labour that was based on coercion and violence. Free labour was a form of slavery that was
associated with capitalism. The history of capitalist free labour and the anti-slavery
movement as told by Marcel van der Linden shows how the techniques of capitalist free
labour originated in slavery and spread from the pre-capitalist plantation to the capitalist
factory. It is believed that modern labor management techniques originated in factories
staffed by 'free' wage laborers in Europe and North America. However, fundamental
advances were made outside of the North Atlantic region, such as in the colonies, to gain
control over less-free workers.1
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the disciplinary revolution played a role in developing modern
labour management. Various colonial institutions contributed to the development of modern
labour management.2 Along with slave plantations, other institutions based on coercion were
influential.3 Industrial production systems in the nineteenth century were often compared to
slave plantations by their contemporaries. It was justified for Erving Goffman to see that
there existed a kind of slavery within some totalitarian institutions. However, Foucault and
Goffman were not aware of the parallels between plantations and slavery.4
Historical research has documented the origins of modern labour-management techniques in
the Western European and North American industrial revolutions. In the disciplinary
revolution, colonies and unfree labour are never mentioned. While recent work in
1
Van der Linden, Marcel. "Re-constructing the origins of modern labor management." Labor History 51, no. 4 (2010): 509-
522. Pp 509.
2
Ibid, pp 516.
3
Ibid, pp 516.
4
Ibid, pp 517.
, management history has helped us to better understand how employers have interacted with
their employees, this is not an attempt to discredit that work. Though these achievements
were significant, the dominant narrative remained Eurocentric.5
Historiographies of the West begin by agreeing that labour management has existed for
thousands of years, and large-scale projects have not been workable without the coordinated
effort of workers. During the middle of the 18th century, factories and capitalism became the
basis of modern labour management. The result was time discipline, technical training, and
other innovations. Further changes took place in the second half of the nineteenth century,
culminating in the development of Scientific Management. Michel Foucault and others
examined the rise of disciplinary power in schools, psychiatric institutions, and factories.6
Although revisions had been made, the approach to studying labour management remained
based on two underlying assumptions. First, the model was internalised, and all the huge
innovations took place in Britain, the United States, France, or Germany. Second, the
emphasis was firmly placed on "free" labour. Historically, unfree labour has received little
attention. Alfred Chandler offers a valid interpretation of the rule when he claims plantations
are traditional and have had little bearing on the development of modern business
enterprises.7 In response to the official histories of modern labour management, Van Der
Linden provides three counterarguments. Contrary to western conceptions of modern labour
management, important developments occurred outside of the North Atlantic region, first in
attempts to control unfree labour. Second, these innovations are long-ago and pre-industrial;
and third, knowledge about such innovations has spread around the globe.8
According to Karl Marx, subsumption falls into two categories, formal and real. Marx
describes the real subsumption of labour under capital as a managerial technique. The two
possibilities are as follows. Despite integrating older labour processes into their enterprises,
capitalist entrepreneurs do not change the nature of these labour processes. As a result, both
power relations and labour time are altered in labour under capital. When capital replaces
labor with alternative forms and introduces alternate methods of production, a real
5
Van der Linden, Marcel. "Re-constructing the origins of modern labor management." Labor History 51, no. 4 (2010): 509-
522. Pp 510.
6
Ibid, pp 510.
7
Ibid, pp 510.
8
Ibid, pp 510.
modern world. Among those who have researched this history is Marcel van der Linden. To
support his argument, he cites three separate events that argue for the disciplinary revolution's
emergence in individual colonies. In his argument, Linden shows how vital inventions were
developed outside of the North Atlantic region, to control unfree workers, how some of these
inventions date back far before the Industrial Revolution, and how knowledge about such
innovations travelled throughout the world. His argument is supported by the origins of
modern labour-management, Karl Marx’s study of subsumption, and subsumption as a
concept.
A new modern form of labour, based on choice, replaced an old precapitalist form of unfree
labour that was based on coercion and violence. Free labour was a form of slavery that was
associated with capitalism. The history of capitalist free labour and the anti-slavery
movement as told by Marcel van der Linden shows how the techniques of capitalist free
labour originated in slavery and spread from the pre-capitalist plantation to the capitalist
factory. It is believed that modern labor management techniques originated in factories
staffed by 'free' wage laborers in Europe and North America. However, fundamental
advances were made outside of the North Atlantic region, such as in the colonies, to gain
control over less-free workers.1
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the disciplinary revolution played a role in developing modern
labour management. Various colonial institutions contributed to the development of modern
labour management.2 Along with slave plantations, other institutions based on coercion were
influential.3 Industrial production systems in the nineteenth century were often compared to
slave plantations by their contemporaries. It was justified for Erving Goffman to see that
there existed a kind of slavery within some totalitarian institutions. However, Foucault and
Goffman were not aware of the parallels between plantations and slavery.4
Historical research has documented the origins of modern labour-management techniques in
the Western European and North American industrial revolutions. In the disciplinary
revolution, colonies and unfree labour are never mentioned. While recent work in
1
Van der Linden, Marcel. "Re-constructing the origins of modern labor management." Labor History 51, no. 4 (2010): 509-
522. Pp 509.
2
Ibid, pp 516.
3
Ibid, pp 516.
4
Ibid, pp 517.
, management history has helped us to better understand how employers have interacted with
their employees, this is not an attempt to discredit that work. Though these achievements
were significant, the dominant narrative remained Eurocentric.5
Historiographies of the West begin by agreeing that labour management has existed for
thousands of years, and large-scale projects have not been workable without the coordinated
effort of workers. During the middle of the 18th century, factories and capitalism became the
basis of modern labour management. The result was time discipline, technical training, and
other innovations. Further changes took place in the second half of the nineteenth century,
culminating in the development of Scientific Management. Michel Foucault and others
examined the rise of disciplinary power in schools, psychiatric institutions, and factories.6
Although revisions had been made, the approach to studying labour management remained
based on two underlying assumptions. First, the model was internalised, and all the huge
innovations took place in Britain, the United States, France, or Germany. Second, the
emphasis was firmly placed on "free" labour. Historically, unfree labour has received little
attention. Alfred Chandler offers a valid interpretation of the rule when he claims plantations
are traditional and have had little bearing on the development of modern business
enterprises.7 In response to the official histories of modern labour management, Van Der
Linden provides three counterarguments. Contrary to western conceptions of modern labour
management, important developments occurred outside of the North Atlantic region, first in
attempts to control unfree labour. Second, these innovations are long-ago and pre-industrial;
and third, knowledge about such innovations has spread around the globe.8
According to Karl Marx, subsumption falls into two categories, formal and real. Marx
describes the real subsumption of labour under capital as a managerial technique. The two
possibilities are as follows. Despite integrating older labour processes into their enterprises,
capitalist entrepreneurs do not change the nature of these labour processes. As a result, both
power relations and labour time are altered in labour under capital. When capital replaces
labor with alternative forms and introduces alternate methods of production, a real
5
Van der Linden, Marcel. "Re-constructing the origins of modern labor management." Labor History 51, no. 4 (2010): 509-
522. Pp 510.
6
Ibid, pp 510.
7
Ibid, pp 510.
8
Ibid, pp 510.
