During twentieth century high-modernity
urban networks
became ‘urban fetishes’ (fetishism in
this context denotes the idea that things can be seen as possessing human
properties or satisfy human needs) encompassing a materially
and culturally ideology of progress. This
can be a classic example of the relevance and applicability of Karl Marx’s
theory to modern society by understanding the process through which people’s
values changes at the same pace as goods and
services become commodified
through the expansion of
technological networks. Marx would suggest that the extent to what
people’s values changes depends on modifications in society’s technological
superstructure. It is also interesting
to notice that urban technological networks in high-modernity expand at the
same pace as
privatization and commodification of other goods and services. For instance, the water industry was one of a
number of publicly owned enterprises and assets being privatized during the
1980s in the UK. The Government justified its privatization
program on water as being a positive contribution towards improving industrial
performance and consequently generating greater efficiency for customers and
the nation at low
costs. However,
financial evidence contradicts Government claims as lower costs did not occur
and instead this scheme generated a
conflict between consumers and
shareholders (Bakker, 2005).
This example illustrates how technology serves only the demands
of the rich by accentuating inequality, rising innovation and generating
conflict between workers and capital owners. This idea is also expressed in the
following Marx’s quote:
“The hand-mill gives you society with the
feudal lord; the steam-mill, society with the industrial capitalist"
(Marx, K, 1978: 92).
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