Ruy Braga and the precariat concept

Abstract

The article analyzes the contributions of the sociologist Ruy Braga to the concept of the precariat based on a bibliographical review of his works, including “The Politics of the Precariat: From Populism to the Hegemony of Lulism”, “The Plebeian Impulse: Labor, Precariousness, and Social Rebellions”, “The Rebellion of the Precariat: Work and Neoliberalism in the Global South” and “The anguish of the precariat: labour and solidarity in racial capitalism”. The author introduces the concept of the precariat, grounded in the Marxian theory of social classes, particularly emphasizing the definition of relative overpopulation, which is understood as the fraction within the urban proletariat that is the most underpaid and exploited. In the context of the social relations of production in the financialized post-Fordism of the global South, Braga’s analysis of the possibilities for struggle and collective action by the precariat opens up new avenues for investigating the political involvement of the precarious working class in response to neoliberal regulatory modes. By comparing Braga’s concept with other authors who also analyze the precariat, such as Guy Standing and Robert Castel, we aim to differentiate Braga’s perspective in precariat analysis. In conclusion, Ruy Braga’s theoretical approach provides significant contributions to understanding the transformations in the world of work in contemporary capitalism, especially within the Latin American and Brazilian contexts, amidst the backdrop of unemployment, labor rights erosion, platformization, and intensified labor exploitation.