Skip to main content
Log in

The Case of Guest Workers: Exploitation, Citizenship and Economic Rights

  • Published:
Res Publica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Working from a ``capitalist'' theory of exploitation, based on a neo-classical account of economic value, I argue that guest workers are exploited. It may be objected, however, that since they are not citizens, any inequality that stems from their status as non-citizens is morally unobjectionable. Although host countries are under no moral obligation to admit guest workers as citizens, thereare independent reasons that call for the extension of economicrights – the freedom of occupation in particular – to guestworkers. Since the cause of unequal exchange rests in the factthat guest workers are deprived of these rights, rather than in their exclusion from citizenship per se, I concludethat they are exploited even if their exclusion from citizenshipmay be justified.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Attas, D. The Case of Guest Workers: Exploitation, Citizenship and Economic Rights. Res Publica 6, 73–92 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009692722806

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009692722806

Navigation