| This question <55|55> overall <43|46> Bob: <1508|84>. |
| Question 22: If Marx wanted to start his book with first principles, why did he pick the analysis of the commodity and not the analysis of the production process or the analysis of value? |
| [45] Bob: Marx answers this question best by stating the wealth of a capitalist society is the commodities within it. The realization that commodities equal wealth is enough reason to let Marx start at this point. This is justification enough for me to understand why he chose commodities as his starting point. |
| Marx could have easily used the production as a starting point, however the is some problem with using production because the factors that go into production are very intense. You have the area of the world in which the production occurs. This can change the price of the production with the cost of land, labor and capital. Of course these factors tie into a commodity, but the value of the commodity is usually limited to the supply and demand for a certain area. |
| I also feel that by starting at commodities Marx in a way begins with use-value because it is the possible uses of the commodity. It would be hard to start with possible uses of a commodity without first introducing what a commodity is and why we need to understand them. The use-value adds to the wealth of a capitalist society. The more uses make it more marketable. The best example I can think of would be the comparison of an English Professor and a Business Professor. Of course they are both of value, but the use value for the Business Professor is much greater because they would have more options in the work force. This drives the dollar or salary value for them up. |
| In reality economics follows a path that ultimately goes in a circle. Eventually starting with the explanation of a commodity will at one point result in referring to the production of the commodity and the use value pertaining to the commodity. |
| Hans: Michael gave you the right response in [55]. The content of material wealth is use-values. This is true in every society. The form which this wealth takes in capitalism is commodities, i.e., things that can be purchased and sold. |
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