‘—

What Are Wages? – Assignment 04

Karl Marx begins to define what wages are in this weeks’ piece. Marx describes the relationship between wages and labor in the ideals of work; as well as how the market depends on its relationship. He begins to identify that wages are monies paid by capitalists to people who provide labor. The monies paid to the laborers are in relationship to the amount of work done or the amount of time to complete the work. Therefore, Marx argues that capitalist buy labor power by the amount of time spent on work. In other words, time is what capitalist buy. They buy the time that laborers provide in the realm of work. He calls the time that workers provide as labor power and informs us that this is the commodity that capitalists are interested in. As he states in his piece, Marx describes that the term “wages” is just a special name for the price of labor.

Paying laborers for their time according to Marx is the way capitalist tend to spread the use of their commodities. In other words, when workers are paid for their time, capitalist can use that time paid to have workers work in other areas or on other products capitalist produce. In this ideal, capitalist maximize the overall use of their commodities with time paid to workers. Within the context of time for example, you can have a worker work on 3-4 tasks rather than have them work on 1 given task for a set amount of time. Marx names this the exchange value of labor. The commodity that is produced then has a price attached to it. The price is usually the money that is exchanged for the exchange value of labor. So in summary, Workers sell their time, to work on products for employers and not gain profit or capital for this.

Interestingly enough, Marx argues that a worker’s commodity is his labor. He states that workers sell their labor throughout their life in order to live. He also states that the laborer should know that his labor represents wages. He manages to provide his ability to work in order to obtain all the necessities to live by way of earning wages. This relationship to life becomes one that depends on wages in order to live.

After reading this piece by Marx, I tend to think of how time is such a factor in the ability to earn wages. Today, we see it constructed in our own labor laws and policies. The terms part-time, full-time, temporary and salary are all based on the time in which wages are dispensed. None are determined by production, only time. I wonder what would happen if laborers were paid for the amount of production they produce over time? If we workers would gain some financial ground if time was not the only determining factor of wage. I guess we would all then be capitalist. Interesting.