Abstract

COELHO-LIMA, Fellipe  and  BENDASSOLLI, Pedro F.. Ideology and meaning of work to self-employed workers. Estud. psicol. (Natal) [online]. 2018, vol.23, n.3, pp. 259-270. ISSN 1413-294X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22491/1678-4669.20180025.

This paper aims to analyze the characteristics of the work ideology to self-employed workers, focusing on the meaning those workers ascribe to their work. Eleven in-depth interviews were carried out with people working in a Small Business Mall in Alecrim, located in Northeast Brazil. The results indicate that the interviewees started working soon in life, coming from low-income families. In the current work, they maintain competitive and cooperative relationship with each other, and they intend to keep working as marketer indefinitely. Working is signified as a source of income and as a strategy to occupy the time. Working in formal work is regarded as a source of humiliation; in the informal condition they feel they have the opportunity for self-fulfillment. The three ideological functions played by the meanings of work are: keeping the workers in their current work; hindering the emergence of a collective-class consciousness; and criticizing the salaried employees.

Keywords : informal work; ideology; marxism; historic-cultural psychology; meaning.

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