This question <40|32> overall <28|30> George: <609|216-3>.  
  Question 97: At the beginning of section 1.2 Marx uses one of the two following formulations:   
  (a) The coat satisfies a particular need. To produce it, a specific kind of productive activity is necessary. (b) The coat satisfies a specific need. To produce it, a particular kind of productive activity is necessary. Which formulation did he use, (a) or (b)? What is the difference? Could he also have used the other formulation?   
  [29] George: Marx used formulation (a), “The coat satisfies a particular need. To produce it, a specific kind of productive activity is necessary.” There is a distinct difference between formulation (a) and (b), and Marx, who understands the production process, would never have used formulation (b).   
  The reason Marx used formulation (a) instead of (b) is as I believe because of the nature of the production process. Starting from the beginning of formula (a), the coat has a general purpose or use-value that could be protection from the cold, rain, snow, or wind, i.e. “particular need”. Continuing on, “To produce it, a specific kind of production is necessary”, or in other words, an exact process must be designed to form raw materials into a finished commodity. Why exact? The coat is serving a general purpose; there is no need for custom modification. Specific or exact may include variables such as size; however a streamlined process must be created to achieve efficiency and productivity. Additional examples of this surround us everyday, auto manufactures have detailed or specific manufacturing processes to build cars, the result of the purchased automobile is a general purpose, commuting to work, family transportation, or hobby. There is no “particular kind of production” when is comes to items of large number or mass production. If you have individual workers producing coats with little direction or particular details, you would be creating a commodity that would have inconsistent design, size, or even flaws. When producing an item of mass distribution, there will always be specific activities designed to create a homogeneous product that enables purchasers to rest on quality and reliable form.   
 
 
 
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