Episode 109: Reserve Army of Labour

“Today’s episode uses Marx and Engels' concept of the “reserve army of labor” to analyse the oversupply of STEM graduates in the U.S. Dr. Jaime Hoerricks argues that this surplus is not a market inefficiency but a deliberate capitalist strategy to suppress wages and maintain worker compliance. They critique the alignment of education with corporate interests, highlighting how the STEM pipeline functions as a system of exploitation disguised as opportunity. They contrast this with the benefits of a more adaptable, interdisciplinary education that prioritises human potential over market demands. Ultimately, Dr. Hoerricks advocates for educational reform that challenges the commodification of education and promotes equity.”

Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/stem-worker-surplus-a-capitalist

Let me know what you think.