This question <59|59> overall <58|60> Madsjim: <1344|494>.

Exam Question 98: Carefully explain how the “socially necessary labor-time” for the production of an article is determined. Is it the same as the time needed in the average to produce this article?

[59] Madsjim: Marx gives an explanation to this question by using power looms in England. Power Looms doubled the amount of produced cloth in an hour. Hand weavers after that still only produced half of what the the power looms could. They did not produce at the same level and their average production times could not be compared with power looms.

The mechanical looms created a “socially acceptable labor-time” because they produced more for cheaper. The technology had created the necessary time that was acceptable . On the other hand, hand weavers could produce the same amount of cloth but it took more time, in Marx's earlier explanation, the more time it took the more valuable it was. But this is contradictory, clearly the capitalists with mechanical looms were creating more value with what they were producing. Thus the “socially necessary labor-time” is not the same as the average time needed for hand weavers. Average time needed to produce an article can only be compared with a socially necessary labor-time between production lines with the same technology. This technological advance left hand weavers behind and the new technology took over for determining what the value would be.

Hans: This question, which is an exam question, asks for a simple definition of socially necessary labor-time. You have not given such a definition.

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