Angestellte und Arbeiter Wandlungen in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft; 3 Vorträge

[Title Page and Table of Contents]: The title page and table of contents for a collection of three lectures regarding the status of employees and workers in the post-war economy, published by the General Free Employees Federation (AfA-Bund). [Foreword by the AfA-Bund Executive Board]: The executive board of the AfA-Bund introduces the lectures delivered at the 3rd Trade Union Congress in Hamburg, 1928. It highlights the sociological shift of the proletariat following the traces of Karl Marx and the importance of scientific study regarding employee problems in a restructured economy. [The Position of Employees in Organized Post-War Industry]: Albert Thomas, Director of the International Labor Office, discusses the global rise of the white-collar employee class. He addresses the difficulties in international statistical comparisons due to varying definitions of 'employee' across countries like Germany, France, and the UK. He argues that while employees are a distinct social group closer to management, they are increasingly subjected to the same mechanical 'drama' of labor as manual workers, necessitating international labor protections and representation within the ILO. [Employees in the German Economy]: Dr. Otto Suhr provides a detailed statistical and economic analysis of the growth of the employee class in Germany between 1907 and 1925. He explores the difficulty of defining 'employee' (Angestellter) versus 'worker' (Arbeiter) or 'civil servant' (Beamter), noting how rationalization and Taylorism shift functions from the workshop to the office. Suhr argues that the rapid increase in employees is a hallmark of high-capitalist development and that this group has now developed its own 'industrial reserve army,' necessitating their integration into the broader proletarian struggle for economic socialism. [The Re-stratification of the Proletariat]: Professor Emil Lederer examines the sociological transformation of the working class through a Marxist lens, questioning if Marx's predictions of a two-class society remain valid. He distinguishes between 'status' (Stand) and 'class' (Klasse), arguing that while the employee class is functionally distinct, it shares the same economic fate as manual workers due to their separation from the means of production. Lederer critiques romantic views of labor, analyzes the importance of employee purchasing power, and advocates for an evolutionary path toward economic democracy and social truth over the 'facade' of capitalism. [Appendix 1: Workers and Employees in Various Countries Before and After the War]: A statistical report prepared by the International Labor Office comparing the number of workers and employees in industry, mining, and transport across several countries (Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, UK, Norway, Canada, USA, South Africa). It highlights the general trend of employees increasing at a faster rate than manual workers and provides detailed breakdowns by specific industrial branches. [Appendix 2: Development of the Employee Class in Germany 1925-1928]: A supplement presenting the results of a 1928 survey by the AfA-Bund across approximately 2,000 German enterprises. It tracks the development of employee numbers relative to manual workers during the peak of the rationalization period, providing tables categorized by economic sectors such as mining, mechanical engineering, chemicals, and retail.