| This question <189-3|156-4> overall <36|39> Birdieman: <407|158-4>. graded A |
| Exam Question 89: What is abstract human labor? I want you to say what it is, not what its significance is in commodity-producing society! These are two different questions. |
| [37] Birdieman: Abstract human labor is any human function such as using muscle, brain power, or nerves. The following example can help us understand this reasoning. If it is desired to build a bridge across a significantly sized river, several different individuals' labor power may be called upon. First of all an architect may conceive and draw up a blue print for the bridge using mental powers, or the human brain. In order for the bridge to actually get built, a construction worker will use his muscles to put the steel beams, iron cords, and concrete slabs into place. A foreman will probably oversee the construction of the bridge using both his physcial and mental abilities to direct the general laborers. Even though the functions of all of these people are quite different qualitatively, they are all performing human functions to participate in the process of labor. This is what is meant by abstract human labor. |
| Marx develops this argument of abstract human labor to show that all commodities have something in common. Abstract human labor is necessary for the production of all goods that have use value. It is important to note that concrete labor is different than abstract labor in that not all concrete labor is equal. This can be related to the arguments concerning the lazy or inept worker. The abstract labor required to produce a good, let's say a pizza for example, does not vary from person to person. The concrete labor which actually goes into the production of the pizza may vary because person A may be more efficient while lazy person B takes much more time to finish the pizza. In the end the two pizzas have the same use value because they are essentially identical. The consumer can't tell which pizza was made by the lazy worker or the effiecient one. This demonstrates that Marx's arguments concering abstract human labor are very important to the understanding of the issues regarding the inept worker. It would not be complete to consider the lazy worker without addressing the Marxian concept of abstract human labor, the use of mental and physical human faculties to produce a commodity. |
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