Aggravated commodification as a new dimension of precarity in platform economy

Abstract

The concepts of precariousness that emerged in Western countries from the 1980s onwards highlight uncertainty regarding the form, scope and nature of labour in the near future. In this article, we use the concept of aggravated commodification as a new dimension of precariousness faced by platform workers. This concept is derived from Polanyi’s idea of fictitious commodities and is treated as a form of labour-market expansion. Applying critically evaluated theory of Karl Polanyi, the article argues that platforms transform labour into a commodity, potentially leading to exploitation and societal unrest. Aggravated commodification refers to work arrangements that introduce (three-sided) market mechanisms within the labour process. Moreover, thanks to the technological infrastructure platforms are leading to the commodification of activities previously performed outside the market and free absorption of activities that were previously a part of wage labour. The study contributes a comprehensive framework for understanding and enriching discussions on precarity in the context of platform capitalism, especially within Central and Eastern European countries.