Anand Parappadi KRISHNAN
The Real i in the Apple Universe—The State of Workers in a ‘Workers’ State’Economic & Political WeeklyVol. 56, Issue No. 23, 5 June 2021https://www.epw.in/journal/2021/23 Divided into 12 chapters, along with four appendixes, the book covers all the different aspects related to the ecosystem of Foxconn and its intertwined relationship with Apple, exploring the experiences on the factory floors and assembly lines on the one hand, and the lives of young workers in working as well as living spaces on the other. One of the two important hallmarks of the book is how the authors have throughout persevered relentlessly in bringing to relief the intertwined business models and relationships of Apple and Foxconn…. The other equally important hallmark of the book is the symbiotic relationship between Foxconn and the Chinese party-state, especially provincial and sub-provincial governments. The book truly covers a vast canvas and travels through the worlds of work in China and shows how workers are integral to the large ecosystem of corporations that transcend territorial boundaries; and whose profit maximisation is at the cost of dehumanising the workers who manufacture their state-of-the art, hi-tech products.
Dying for an iPhone 