A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF JÜRGEN HABERMAS' CONCEPTION OF LABOUR IN HIS EARLY WRITINGS

Abstract

This paper revisits Jürgen Habermas early conceptualization of labor, emphasizing its framing as instrumental action. While recognizing that Habermas' instrumental model—centered on efficiency and control over nature—captures a vital dimension of labor, the analysis argues that it overlooks labor’s full emancipatory potential. To address this limitation, the paper proposes supplementing the instrumental model with communicative action, emphasizing the interplay between labor's technical and moral-social dimensions. By integrating these complementary perspectives, the paper advances a more comprehensive understanding of labor’s role in human emancipation.