The contributors to this volume suggest that the idea of a "pure" working class should be reconsidered and examine specific South Asian and Latin American case studies. A large part of the working class in the so-called third world and also in the main capitalist countries is either free (but coerced through noneconomic means) or does hidden work (e.g. as formally self-employed producers). By rethinking the fundamental assumptions of "classical" labor and working-class history, the volume contributes to the development of a noneurocentric historiography.

Maritime trade is the backbone of the world s economy. Around ninety percent of all goods are transported by ship, and since World War II shipbuilding has undergone major changes in response to new commercial pressures and opportunities. Early British dominance, for example, was later undermined by competition from the Japanese, who have since been overtaken by South Korea and, most recently, China. The case studies in this volume trace these and other important developments in the shipbuilding and ship repair industries, as well as workers responses to these historic transformations."

Capitalism has proven much more resilient than Marx anticipated, and the working class has hardly lived up to his hopes. What might a critique of the political economy of labour look like that critically reviews Capitalism's entire history while moving beyond Eurocentrism? In this volume twenty-two authors offer their thoughts on this question, both from a historical and theoretical perspective.