Theory of Constructed Exploitation

The view that exploitation (getting more value from someone's labor than you return) isn't a simple, naked theft, but is often structured and legitimized by constructed systems. The "contract," the "market wage," the "gig economy app," and the concept of "management share" are all social constructions that define what is considered a "fair exchange," often obscuring and enabling the extraction of surplus value. The system is built to make exploitation look like a transaction.

Example: "The delivery app isn't a robber on the road; it's the Theory of Constructed Exploitation in digital form. It builds a system where drivers are 'independent contractors' (a legal construction), pay for their own gas and repairs, and have no benefits, while the app takes a 30% fee and calls it a 'platform service.' The exploitation is baked into the software's very business model."

Theory of Constructed Exploitation by Abzu Land January 31, 2026