Das Kapital (Capital)
Karl Marx
Review by Cyril Jane Arayan
Karl Marx's Capital can be read as a work of economics, sociology and history. He addresses a numerous of topics, but is most generally trying to present a systematic account of the nature, development, and future of the capitalist system. There is a strong economic focus to this work, and Marx addresses the nature of commodities, wages and the worker-capitalist relationship, among other things. Much of this work tries to show the ways in which workers are exploited by the capitalist mode of production. He also provides a history of past exploitations. Marx argues that the capitalist system is ultimately unstable, because it cannot endlessly sustain profits. Thus, it provides a more technical background to some of his more generally accessible works, like The Communist Manifesto.
Marx argues that commodities have both a use-value and an exchange-value, and that their exchange-value is rooted in how much labor-power went into them. While traditionally people bought commodities in order to use them, capitalists use commodities differently. Their final goal is increased profit. Therefore, they put out money and buy commodities, in order to sell those commodities for a profit. The cycle then repeats itself. The reason why the capitalists are able to make a profit is that they only need to pay workers their value (how much it takes to keep them functional), but the workers produce more than that amount in a day. Thus, the workers are exploited. The capitalists are able to do this because they have more power, and control the means of production. Furthermore, the workers' character is negatively affected by the system. They don't own the products of their labor, and the repetitive work they have to do make them little more than machines.
When regards to the study of the society, Marx will always emphasize mode of production and relate it to the economy. Production processes differ in each kind of society.
During Marx’s time, the Industrial Revolution, was the “best of times, but it was the worst of times” according to Charles Dickens. It was then arose the manufacturing technology overshadowing the handicraft technology.
TERMS
Use-value - A use-value is something that is valuable because it is useful. It can also be a measurement of the usefulness of a commodity.
Labor-power - According to Marx, labor-power is "the aggregate of those mental and physical capabilities existing in the physical form, the living personality, of a human being, capabilities which he sets in motion whenever he produces a use-value of any kind."
Means of production - The forces of production. This is comprised of the instruments of production (tools, machines, etc.), methods of working (skills, forms of cooperation, division of labor, etc.), and applied knowledge (science, etc.).
Mode of production - The economic structure of society that defines people's mode of living. It consists of the means of production as well as the relations of production.
Relations of production - Relations between people necessary for a certain form of material production. This is comprised of the distribution of the means of production, forms of possession (collective and individual private property), and distribution of the product.
Marx argues that commodities have both a use-value and an exchange-value, and that their exchange-value is rooted in how much labor-power went into them. While traditionally people bought commodities in order to use them, capitalists use commodities differently. Their final goal is increased profit. Therefore, they put out money and buy commodities, in order to sell those commodities for a profit. The cycle then repeats itself. The reason why the capitalists are able to make a profit is that they only need to pay workers their value (how much it takes to keep them functional), but the workers produce more than that amount in a day. Thus, the workers are exploited. The capitalists are able to do this because they have more power, and control the means of production. Furthermore, the workers' character is negatively affected by the system. They don't own the products of their labor, and the repetitive work they have to do make them little more than machines.
When regards to the study of the society, Marx will always emphasize mode of production and relate it to the economy. Production processes differ in each kind of society.
During Marx’s time, the Industrial Revolution, was the “best of times, but it was the worst of times” according to Charles Dickens. It was then arose the manufacturing technology overshadowing the handicraft technology.
TERMS
Use-value - A use-value is something that is valuable because it is useful. It can also be a measurement of the usefulness of a commodity.
Labor-power - According to Marx, labor-power is "the aggregate of those mental and physical capabilities existing in the physical form, the living personality, of a human being, capabilities which he sets in motion whenever he produces a use-value of any kind."
Means of production - The forces of production. This is comprised of the instruments of production (tools, machines, etc.), methods of working (skills, forms of cooperation, division of labor, etc.), and applied knowledge (science, etc.).
Mode of production - The economic structure of society that defines people's mode of living. It consists of the means of production as well as the relations of production.
Relations of production - Relations between people necessary for a certain form of material production. This is comprised of the distribution of the means of production, forms of possession (collective and individual private property), and distribution of the product.