In this research project, we intend to reassess fundamental questions in political theory by drawing on workers’ reflexive writings from the beginnings of capitalism to the current digital economy. Throughout history, in situations of induced reflexivity due to the transformations of capitalism and the broadening of the working-class, workers have written texts in which they reflect on their work experience, their attempts to associate and to claim rights. Together, these texts form an underground continent of workplace political theory. Due to the distinctive standpoint of workers, they can shed a new light on the concepts of exploitation, democracy and justice, and inform us about the social conditions of theoretical activity. To explore this intellectual history of capitalism from below, the research team will focus on four historical periods. For each period, we will investigate a both a French and an international case study.