| This question <18|58> overall <28|30> Y: <330-33|151>. |
| Exam Question 63: Is labor the only source of use value? Is labor the only source of value? (“Value” is here the property which makes things exchangeable.) |
| [29] Y: Sources of value Marx defines wealth as an “immense collection of commodities.” Thus, the wealth must ground from the basics of these commodities. In order for an object to qualify as a commodity, it must produce socially use-value, meaning it must serve value for you and others, thereby being subjected as a value of exchange. The commodity then is divided into both a use-value and exchange value. How then is use-value derived? |
| Use-value is realized through use or consumption. It is the material of the society's wealth. Clearly, use-value is then not only derived from labour, as our natural environment is our source of materials. This source provides us with many use-values directly, without being mediated through labour power. |
| In order to create exchange value, labour needs to be mediated to the product. But again, labour is not the only source of value to the commodity, as the commodity, in order to achieve exchange value, also must have utilitarian purposes. |
| The commodity, in sum, must contain both use-value and exchange value. |
| Hans: Your answer was ok. You gave a coherent argument starting from the beginning instead of just giving some Marx quotes. Your submission was also structured quite differently than the previous submission [18] dealing with the same question, but you should have given an indication whether you knew about it. |
| See my separate posting to the class. |
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