When Karl Marx spoke of the relationship between the capitalist and the proletariat, he mainly referred to the owners of production controlling the production of goods being produced by the worker in order to be bought and used by the general public. This goal, enforced by the bourgeoisie, to satisfy the public with the production of commodities further led to the unsatisfactory feeling from the workers of producing for others. Not only is this shown through the production of seemingly trivial commodities, but can also be seen through the “labor process” of prostitution. It can be noted that prostitution in itself produces the objectification of the woman's body, i.e. a commodity. Through the commodification of the woman's body, the sex worker experiences alienation from her labor power, and to some extent, exploitation.
In order to understand how this relationship occurs, we must first look at the first three parts of Marx’s theory of alienation, or what he also refers to as, estranged labor. According to Marx, alienation is the process in which a person’s labor power produces objects that are “alien” to them - the products of their labor do not belong to them. This is further explained in the statement that “the alienation of the worker in his product means not only that his labor becomes an object... that it exists outside him... that it becomes a power of its own confronting him” (Tucker 72). Not only does alienation occur between the laborer and their products, but also between the labor process and the laborer. The person feels the estrangement from their labor because it does not belong to them; they are producing for the satisfaction of something external to their being. In addition to these alienations, it also occurs between the laborer and his species-being. Meaning that the worker is separated from his nature, and into a means of individual existence; he no longer belongs to his natural form of species. In relation to prostitution, these types of alienation are evident through the analysis of the sex worker’s labor power and their bodies.
To begin, the Oxford Dictionary defines prostitution as “the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment.” The key word here is payment, which is the act of compensation for something, i.e. wage. Prostitution is a process that requires the sex worker to satisfy the sexual fulfillment of another individual in exchange for money for their labor power. Consequently, the product of this labor becomes the woman’s body because it is the “object” that is paid for in order for man to utilize it for their sexual needs. As Marx states, “labor’s realization is its objectification” (Tucker 71), the time and skills produced by the sex worker is only realized through the objectification and commodification of her body. This product of their labor then becomes something that does not belong to them anymore. Although the product of their labor is not something physically external to them, as one would imagine Marx was referring to, their own bodies become the commodities of their labor. They must sell themselves to make a living wage. Their products (bodies) are not their property anymore because their use-value is for the fulfillment of something outside of their physical being. Thus, the sex worker is alienated from their own objectified bodies.
In addition to this, the sex worker develops an estrangement to the process of their labor. Due to the fact that the sex worker uses their body as the product of their labor, their actual labor process is the engagement in sex. The process of their labor is no longer a means of satisfying their own needs, but it becomes a repetitive and tedious labor for the sex worker. The sex worker loses control over the process of their labor especially if a pimp is controlling her activity. Their wages may be cut off if they feel that they are not producing (having sex) enough for their pimp. In this sense, the pimp acts as the capitalist, and exploits their sex workers by forced labor - forcing them to have more sex with higher paying customers, whilst reducing their wages. The labor process is alienated from the individual in that their customers have control over what they need to be satisfied; thus, the sex worker loses value in their labor by submitting to unintended sexual favors.
It is also evident that the sex worker loses the essence of their species-being. Whether they have or do not have a pimp, their sex work becomes a means of subsistence, and through this means of survival, they become further alienated from their human nature of self-fulfillment. They lose control over their ability to act upon their needs, and instead submit to the demands of others. As Marx states, “if the worker’s activity is torment to him, to another it must be a delight and his life’s joy” (Tucker 78), therefore, the sex worker estranges themselves further from their species being, the more that they objectify themselves to others.
In conclusion, prostitution is a means of survival for many people around the world because it is easy for people to objectify their bodies in exchange for money. Sexual intercourse is a natural feeling of self-fulfillment for humans; therefore, people will look to buy it when they cannot consume it elsewhere. The objectification of prostitution further expands the estrangement of labor because the sex workers become commodities themselves; they do not produce products, instead they are the products.
In order to understand how this relationship occurs, we must first look at the first three parts of Marx’s theory of alienation, or what he also refers to as, estranged labor. According to Marx, alienation is the process in which a person’s labor power produces objects that are “alien” to them - the products of their labor do not belong to them. This is further explained in the statement that “the alienation of the worker in his product means not only that his labor becomes an object... that it exists outside him... that it becomes a power of its own confronting him” (Tucker 72). Not only does alienation occur between the laborer and their products, but also between the labor process and the laborer. The person feels the estrangement from their labor because it does not belong to them; they are producing for the satisfaction of something external to their being. In addition to these alienations, it also occurs between the laborer and his species-being. Meaning that the worker is separated from his nature, and into a means of individual existence; he no longer belongs to his natural form of species. In relation to prostitution, these types of alienation are evident through the analysis of the sex worker’s labor power and their bodies.
To begin, the Oxford Dictionary defines prostitution as “the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment.” The key word here is payment, which is the act of compensation for something, i.e. wage. Prostitution is a process that requires the sex worker to satisfy the sexual fulfillment of another individual in exchange for money for their labor power. Consequently, the product of this labor becomes the woman’s body because it is the “object” that is paid for in order for man to utilize it for their sexual needs. As Marx states, “labor’s realization is its objectification” (Tucker 71), the time and skills produced by the sex worker is only realized through the objectification and commodification of her body. This product of their labor then becomes something that does not belong to them anymore. Although the product of their labor is not something physically external to them, as one would imagine Marx was referring to, their own bodies become the commodities of their labor. They must sell themselves to make a living wage. Their products (bodies) are not their property anymore because their use-value is for the fulfillment of something outside of their physical being. Thus, the sex worker is alienated from their own objectified bodies.
In addition to this, the sex worker develops an estrangement to the process of their labor. Due to the fact that the sex worker uses their body as the product of their labor, their actual labor process is the engagement in sex. The process of their labor is no longer a means of satisfying their own needs, but it becomes a repetitive and tedious labor for the sex worker. The sex worker loses control over the process of their labor especially if a pimp is controlling her activity. Their wages may be cut off if they feel that they are not producing (having sex) enough for their pimp. In this sense, the pimp acts as the capitalist, and exploits their sex workers by forced labor - forcing them to have more sex with higher paying customers, whilst reducing their wages. The labor process is alienated from the individual in that their customers have control over what they need to be satisfied; thus, the sex worker loses value in their labor by submitting to unintended sexual favors.
It is also evident that the sex worker loses the essence of their species-being. Whether they have or do not have a pimp, their sex work becomes a means of subsistence, and through this means of survival, they become further alienated from their human nature of self-fulfillment. They lose control over their ability to act upon their needs, and instead submit to the demands of others. As Marx states, “if the worker’s activity is torment to him, to another it must be a delight and his life’s joy” (Tucker 78), therefore, the sex worker estranges themselves further from their species being, the more that they objectify themselves to others.
In conclusion, prostitution is a means of survival for many people around the world because it is easy for people to objectify their bodies in exchange for money. Sexual intercourse is a natural feeling of self-fulfillment for humans; therefore, people will look to buy it when they cannot consume it elsewhere. The objectification of prostitution further expands the estrangement of labor because the sex workers become commodities themselves; they do not produce products, instead they are the products.