Exploitation, knowledge and capitalism: a typology of exploitation for informational capitalism

Abstract

Various critical approaches to informational capitalism sideline the concept of exploitation while others resort tangentially to it, avoiding definitions. However, the understanding and criticism of capitalism in general and of the present stage in particular can hardly be carried out without the notion of exploitation. In view of this, the present article attempts to suggest a systematic theorization. To this end, a review of the traditional theories that have addressed the subject is presented, pointing out their contributions and limitations. Then, a general definition of exploitation is presented. Next, a distinction is made between non-commercial and commercial exploitation. Within the
first, domestic exploitation is pointed out. As for the second, feudal and slave exploitation is differentiated from capitalist exploitation, which is specifically defined. Then, within the forms of capitalist exploitation, three modalities are delimited: exploitation by alienation (similar to the Marxian notion), by copying (based on the unpaid reproduction of codified knowledge) and by attention (arising from the unpaid inoculation of ads). Finally, we point out the complementary role, although with different relative weightings, of all the forms of exploitation identified in the productive processes of informational capitalism.