| This question <76|76> overall <91|93> Shoegal: <669|201>. graded C |
| Question 129: Does Marx contradict himself when he says the Simple form of value is difficult to analyze? |
| [92] Shoegal: I agree with Tigerwater that Marx does not contradict himself when he says the Simple form of Value is difficult to analyze. Tigerwater believes this is difficult because Marx is trying to show value in the money-form by explaining how much of one item is worth compared to another item. I see difficulty resulting in the idea of the money-form; it is easy to forget how our system of value and worth came about. Money is something that is constantly surrounding us and because of its prevalence in our lives we see it as simple when it really is complex. |
| The simple form of value is also difficult to analyze because different things pose different values to different people; a commodity may mean a great deal to some people and therefore have great value while to others it may have no value. For example a Big Mac from McDonald's may mean a great deal to a poor male college student and therefore have value while it may mean nothing to Bill Gates who may prefer caviar, and therefore have no value. I also think that the distribution of wealth in society also changes the idea of value a person may have of a commodity. |
| Value is a very broad term with an evolving definition and that is why I believe that Marx feels it is difficult to analyze. |
| Hans: You seem to think the simple form of value involves money. It doesn't. But apart from these terminological issues Marx agrees with you that the money form is “blinding.” This is why Marx uses simpler forms than the money form as his starting point. But even those simple forms present difficulties. Why? Not because they are constantly surrounding us so that we can no longer see them, but for another reason. Neither you nor Tigerwater gave this reason. |
| What you write about the concept of value is completely off. Marx uses the word “value” in a very specific sense. If you don't know this then you will necessarily misunderstand most of what Marx is writing. |
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