| This question <76|76> overall <75|77> Underground: <23|142>. |
| Question 85: In the Simple or Accidental form of value, which commodity plays an active role, and which a passive role? Explain what it means in this situation to be active or passive. |
| [76] Underground: Passive,active roles in the Simple form The Simple or Accidental form of value is the simplest value expression possible between two different products. The statement 20 yards linen=1 coat is an example in which there is a relationship between the use values, but this is not relavant to the value forms. The simple value form could be (and usually is) a relationship between two goods with totally unrelated use values. |
| In the example, 20 yards linen=1 coat, the linen plays the active role and the coat plays the passive role. Marx says the linen is active because it is expressing its value in the coat. The linen is doing the acting; it is expressing its value in the coat. The linen weaver has little or no use for his linen, if he cannot exchange it, his labor is wasted. He therefore must act to exchange his linen. This gives the linen an active character. |
| The coat, however, is passive. It does not express its value, the linen expresses its value through it. More specifically, the linen expresses its value in the use value of the coat. The coat's role, in this example, is therefore passive |
| Hans: What you wrote is exactly right. |
|
|
|||||