The reproduction sphere

By Electre Mauche

 The reproduction sphere constitutes the sphere of domestic, non-paid and traditionally assigned to women labour.

 In the Marxist theory, two types of labour exist within capitalist societies. The first type of labour is the productive labour, which refers to the production of goods and services in exchange of a wage. The second type of labour is anchored into the reproduction sphere, and refers to the sphere of domestic, non-paid labour: cleaning, cooking, and especially having and raising children – who are destined to be tomorrow's workers - belong to the reproductive labour.

 Both labours are co-existent: the production sphere could not exist without the reproduction sphere, in the same way as the reproductive labour is conceived in order to support the productive labour. Yet, if both labours are indispensable to capitalism, only the productive labour owes a monetary value.