Digital Capitalism and Individualization of Labour: The Case of Remote Work

Abstract

The study examines the phenomenon of individualization of labour, which has increased with the concept of digital capitalism. The principal argument of the study is that the individualization of labour has increased with digital capitalism; this phenomenon can be examined with the increase of remote working. First, the importance of digital capitalism to capitalism is questioned. Is digital capitalism the occurrence of capitalism in digital spaces? Is digital capitalism a new era of capitalism? Although the individualization of labour is a concept emphasized by Manuel Castells, it needs to be examined in depth. Is isolation meant by the individualization of labour, or is the emphasis on the processes of non-unionization? With the answers to these questions, the phenomenon of individualization of labour is examined through the example of remote work. Remote work is concentrated in the service area, which can be expressed as the sector where digital capitalism is experiencing. In this sense, remote work is a useful example to understand both digital capitalism and the phenomenon of individualization of labour.