Impossible Revolution and the Appeal of the PMC

One of the big contentions with traditional Marxism is the two class theory. John and Barbara Ehrenreichs address this contention quite well in their essay which defines and discusses the Professional-Managerial Class. The description of them as “salaried mental workers” is broad enough so that it encompasses quite a large group of people. Even though this group is quite large they are recognized at the same time as being an unproductive form of labor, and antagonistic to both the working class and the bourgeoisie. Yet what was most interesting and confusing for me was how this group even with its seeming lack of bargaining power and relationship with the working class, is still a necessary piece for societal revolution. After all they are described as the “reproduction of capitalist culture.” Also their desire for advancement through education in many ways lends itself easily to class divisions. The Ehrenreichs also make a very interesting point concerning the source of antagonism between the working class and the PMC in that the working class is more likely to “experience humiliation, harassment, frustration, etc., at the hands of the PMC than from members of the actual capitalist class.” Knowing this and various other facts concerning the PMC, one could assume that the Ehrenreichs are under the impression that a revolution in the Marxist sense is unlikely to occur.

Even though I agree that a revolution combining the PMC and the working class is unlikely, this idea of a third social class is extremely attractive. For one, nobody truly wants to be grouped in with what we would in the modern sense consider the bourgeoisie. With the recent economic crisis and much of the top earners in our country being labeled as selfish and greedy criminals, who care little about the work force which they employees, the rich have been labeled as the enemy. Commenting on this disgust of the top one percent, there have recently been various documentaries, articles, and news stories condemning individuals who in our minds make too much money. The culmination of all this hatred was seen in the tax hikes for “the rich” which Obama made a key pillar in his presidential campaign. Yet, even with this hate of the bourgeoisie, there is still a fear amongst many people that they will be considered in line with the proletariat. In many ways people fear the inability to actualize their desires due to the restrictions of their occupation. The PMC provides an answer to all of these fears. You can be educated, financially comfortable, socially mobile, and at the same time disgusted with the rich. Also, even though the PMC potentially acts as the face of the bourgeoisie, as the Ehrenreichs note, that still does not change the fact that they understand the hardships of the working class more than the top one percent. PMC is the perfect label for those who fear condemnation and a lack of ability to self-actualize.