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[144] Rudy: The relationship between commodities and classes in
capitalist society can also indirectly define the
constituents of each class. In the annotations we learn of
Marx's analogy of the commodity to capitalist economy as a
single undifferentiated cell to the human body. The basic
element of the commodity will define the classes in
capitalism. In capitalist society the capitalist class
controls the production of commodities, just as Jimmie
points out in [131]. Here, the producer, or
capitalist class uses the worker-class. The worker class
needs commodities and accepts a wage from the producer in
order to obtain them. Collettchen in [2004fa:654] speculates,
“The worker hates the capitalist but needs him.”
This statement summarizes the way that the capitalist has
the worker right where he wants him. The worker produces
the commodity that he needs himself. This production is
done for much less than the commodity is worth, which
consequently adds to the control of the capitalist
(producer) class over the worker class. The word describing
this relationship in current and past discussions is
“exploitation”. Thus, the relationship of the
class to the commodity is important for it is the factor
that defines each class. |
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