"A thing can be a use-value, without having value. This is the case whenever its utility to man is not due to labour. Such are air, virgin soil, natural meadows, etc. A thing can be useful, and the product of human labour, without being a commodity. Whoever directly satisfies his wants with the produce of his own labour creates, indeed, use-values, but not commodities. In order to produce the latter, he must not only produce use-values, but use-values for others, social values. [And not only just "for others." The medieval peasant produced grain for feudal dues and for the tithe. But this grain did not become a commodity merely because it was produced for others. In order to become a commodity, the product must be transferred /by exchange/ to the person whom it will serve as use-value.](1) Lastly, nothing can have value, without being an object of utility. If the thing is useless, so is the labour contained in it; the labour does not count as labour, and therefor creates no value." "Capital" by Karl Marx, Ed. Friedrich Engels. (1)Note to the 4th ed.: I have inserted this passage in brackets because, in its absence, the misunderstanding has frequently arisen that Marx holds any product consumed by a person other than the producer to be a commodity. F.H.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 04:38:41 +0000
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