TEORIJA SOCIJALNE REPRODUKCIJE - RAD LJUBAVI

Social Reproduction Theory addresses structural causes of oppression in capitalism. Social oppressions shape and are shaped by the process of creating labour for capital. Labour is at the same time a necessity and an obstacle for the accumulation of capital. The cost of the reproduction of labour is an obstacle that would ideally be transferred onto private households. Unpaid work in households makes women dependant on the person that earns a wage, but reproductive work is accomplished outside of the household as well, it is organised via gender and other social oppressions. In an era of neoliberal capitalism international financial institutions managed to impose structural adjustment programs to welfare states. Consequences on the one hand are more precarious labour market and on the other hand withdrawal of the state from social reproduction, resulting in intensified pressure on processes of social reproduction. In Croatia we can note similar trends. Ever bigger need for the care for children and elderly is not accompanied by state investments, therefore most of this work gets done by women. Simultaneously, changes on a labour market and increasing care responsibilities marginalise and push women in lover payed and more precarious types of employment, with the resulting wage and pension gap.