Chapter 8 of Karl Marx volume one considers at a great depth what as the title suggests is a concept of capital. This capital is revealed in two ways, which are a changeable capital and an invariable one. In this chapter, factors relating to labor processes and the roles that they play are considered. As it is seen in page 139, the laborer is seen to add value in regard to the subject of his labor through expenditure in the available labor. Karl Marx has outlined how difficult it is for a laborer to perform two processes at once in their attempt to add value in their work. The only way to add a new value and labor as Karl observes is by laboring productively (139).
Taking spinning and joinery as considered examples of labor and productivity, addition of new labor takes place and brings about considerable success because labor is abstract, and is regarded as a special utility in the society. Value exists in articles of utility and objects (141). This means that when an item loses its utility, it consequently loses its value too. In productivity means as a constant capital, there is a great consumption of their use. Capitalism regarding labor has much to reveal about labor in itself. For instance, the subject factor that this chapter considers is all about labor processes that for sure are of immense significance. This is about labor power in action.
Dissimilar components that factors of labor processes play in the formation of productivity and capitalism add up to the total value of the products at hand. Production means and power that labor brings about are the different modes that create value to an item that is being produced. In this, capital is got in terms of money to cater for all that is required in production. It comes hand in hand with other factors that consider means of production by raw material, auxiliary material and instruments of labor. These factors do not undergo any alteration in the process of production and are therefore referred to as constant capital (144). These are what perfectly define a constant capital for it is exclusive of any changes in value that may come about. As Marx has observed, the value of a commodity is determined again by quality which is however limited by social factors that surrounds it.
Chapter 9 of the volume bears a title of “The Rate of surplus Value” which regards the degree at which labor power is exploited. The surplus in this regard has got a value generated in the process of productivity. As seen in page 147, there are two components that make up the capital which include the sum of money laid up on the means of production and the surplus value that come about still in the process of production. This chapter examines the variation that comes about in capital as well as exposing what surplus value entails. The said surplus value is a pure result of the value of constant capital and the labor power that is inculcated. However there are factors that are difficult to understand especially when there is an increase the variable component of the total advanced capital.
As much as equating the constant capital to zero may be difficult, this is what is revealed to be taking place in the day to day proceeding. To be more specific, Karl Marx has observed that this happens in the cotton industries which are determined to make immense profit all over England (148). The ratio of the surplus value is related to not only a portion of the capital that it emanates from but also to the sum total of capital advances. This in turn creates the significance of it in economy. A portion of capital can be transformed to labor power when the production means is regarded in a clear concern.
This chapter has also considered assumptions that are in pricing of commodity, something that is full of variability. There is much about representation of the components of the value of product by corresponding production parts of the product itself, something that explains variability existing in the capitalism. There is a great idea of how money is converted into capital by capitalist (151). After this is done, a manner in which the variables can be split up to result in an outcome that is appreciated. Here, two kinds of labor is split up, one which is linked to constant capital and another which is the only necessary labor spent during the production process.
The chapter has not let out the undertakings of the last hour where the laborer, the workman in the place tries to make ends meet in the production of wages accompanied by every good thing thereafter. Production in the very last hour results into an equally good result as the one which is done in the very early hours. This is a variability that exists in the capitalist aspect for it creates similar values. Moreover, variability of this nature results in surplus produce (156). As it is explained, surplus produce is the one which is the portion of the product representing the surplus value. All these variables are achieved during the working day in which the laborer works.
