| This question <70|70> overall <69|71> Soccer: <18|124>. |
| Question 78: What is the most simple expression of the value of a commodity, and what is the most “dazzling,” commonly known expression of the value of a commodity? |
| [70] Soccer: simple vs. dazzling expression of commodity According to Marx the most simple expression regarding value of a commodity is the value relation between two commodities. In other words the simplest value relation is that relation of one commodity to a different commodity. Commodities are values in so far as they are all expressions of an identical social substance, this social substance has already been shown to be human labor. Thus their objective character as values is a purely social one and this expression can only appear in the social relation between commodity and commodity. For example the simplest expression for value of a pen can be seen in it's value relation to that of a different commodity like a pencil or even between value relations of apples and oranges. This interaction of different commodities is simply there way of speaking up and letting us know, “I am a value.” |
| On the other hand there is also a very “dazzling,” commonly known expression of value which is the money-form. This simply refers to the fact of life that anybody who wants a commodity will need to pay for it with money. The reason this is so “dazzling” is that it is something everyone knows , but so few really understand it. Marx refers to this expression of value as the “money form of the commodity”, which indicates that the ability of money to buy commodities is a property of the commodities, not the money. The money form truly is dazzling because it has been so perfected that we can no longer see what is in it. |
| Hans: Very good answer to the question. In the future, please rely more on your own formulations instead of making it a collage of literal quotes from Marx and the Annotations. |
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