| This question <33|33> overall <1957|33> Thugtorious: <1798|36>. (graded A) |
| Question 702: Give examples where use-value is an economic form determination. (Difficult!) |
| [29] Thugtorious: Use-values which affect the relations of production. If you are going to have a trial run, you might as well make it a difficult question! |
| As with all of Marx's passages, the discussion of “use-value” is hard to follow on the first read, especially when considering it an “economic determination.” Throughout the first section of Kapital, Marx outlines the duality of a commodity by discussing its “use-value” and its “exchange-value.” He spends quite a bit of time breaking down the characteristics of an object's use-value, but essentially concludes that an object's use-value exists on its own outside of the realm of political economy. For instance, a diamond has a use value contingent upon its physical characteristics as a hard substance along with aesthetically pleasing nature. However, a diamond by itself is not a commodity until it is used by a glass-cutter or worn by a debutant. Yet, the use-value is unhindered by its eventual occupation. It exists outside of the realm of political economy. (akmk.pdf, p. 1346 for further discussion). |
| However, Marx does give an exception when use-value collides with political economy: “Use-value falls into [the area of political economy] whenever it is modified by the modern production relations or itself exerts a modifying influence on them” (akmk.pdf, p. 1348, quote from Grundrisse, 881:2a by Ehrbar). So, what type of object would have the characteristics to affect the relations of production? What object, when introduced, would economically determine the relations of production and not vice-versa? The only object, or idea, that came to mind in light of this peculiar situation was technology. Marx himself devotes an entire section of Volume I to detailing the dichotomy of labor (in this case, physical labor from human workers) and machinery, or technology. The implementation of technology alters the fundamental relations of production: “The instrument of labour, when it takes the form of a machine, immediately becomes a competitor of the worker himself” (“Capital”, 557:1/oo). |
| The advent of computers expedited many different functions of business, leisure, and almost every aspect of society. Computer technology's use-value was just that: allow the transfer of information quicker, automation of production, etc. Unfortunately, with its efficient nature, computer technology was in direct competition with many different jobs. In my mind, the use-value of most technologies introduced in bourgeois socities throughout time have been in direct contradiction to physical labor and is owned by the capitalists (the owners of all capital). Therefore, the introduction of new technologies alters the fundamental relations of productions, and thus its use-value “falls into the realm of political economy.” Overall, technology is an economic form of determination. |
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