ON THE STROLL: FREE AGENTS AND BONDED LABOUR IN THE STREET PROSTITUTION INDUSTRY

This study analyzes the concept of alienated labour in
\nthe practice of street prostitution in Canada's prairie
\nregion and explores the relationship between profit-making
\nrelations in street prostitution and the exploitation of
\nstreet prostitutes in this region. It begins with a brief
\nintroduction to the themes of social control that dominate
\nwithin the Sociology of Prostitution and a discussion of the
\nsources and limitations of data employed. The basic
\nproposition that is drawn from this discussion is that the
\nexploitation of street prostitutes is secured in the
\norganization of the labour process of street prostitution.
\nThe review of relevant literature is organized around
\nthe basic themes of supply, demand and profit.. This
\norganizational scheme allows the evaluation and critique of
\nthe loose application of economic concepts to the causal
\nanalysis of prostitution. It concludes with the finding
\nthat prostitution is the expression of a
\nprofit-making
\nrelation and establishes a basis for the analysis of the
\nappropriation of labour within profit-making relations. In
\nlight of the focus on the regulation of working activity in
\neconomic organization, Marx's theory and method of
\nhistorical materialism is identified as a fruitful
\nconceptual framework for the analysis of this relation.
\nThe discussion of subjective interpretations of Marx's
\ntheory of alienation is followed by a detailed discussion of
\nthe
\nontological continuity and epistemological focusing of
\nMarx's intellectual outlook. This leads into an
\nexplication
\nof Marx's theory of alienation.
\nA detailed description of the street prostitution
\ncommodity market and the street prostitution industry is
\nconstructed around the producer's relation to the product
\nand activity of labour in the circulation and production of
\ncommodified intimacy. This is followed by a
\nspecific
\nanalysis of the concept of alienated labour as it is
\nexpressed in the social relations of production of the
\nstreet prostitution industry.
\nThe conclusion that is reached is that two forms of
\nalienated labour can be identified within the street
\nprostitution industry in the Canadian prairie region. As
\nfree agents, the working activity of prostitutes is subject
\nto regulation by the market and overall structure of the
\nstreet prostitution industry, and the appropriation of
\nlabour is expressed in circulation. As bonded labour the
\nworking activity of prostitutes is subject to regulation by
\nthe social relations of production that are established
\nbetween male owners and female workers. As such, the
\nappropriation of labour is accomplished through relations of
\ndependency and domination that are expressed in the
\nproduction of commodified intimacy and the exploitation of
\nthe prostitute is stripped of any appearance of freedom.

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