To Paul: I agree with your professor. A good that is produced
for exchange is a commodity. Once it is exchanged it ceases to be a
commodity because it is a use value (unless it is purchased for the
purpose of future exchange. Thus, commodities only exist in the market
place itself--not during production certainly (that is when they are
only potential commodities, so don't get confused) and not after being
purchased (or whatever) for consumption. The nature of a comodity, if
you read your Marx correctly (and no, I will not pull out my version
of Das Capital) is that it's value is determined by its exchange value,
not its use value. An object that is determined by its use value (i.e.
that is valued because of its use to YOU) is not therefore a
commodity.
To give you an example, if you see a package of toilet paper in
the supermarket it is a commodity because it's value is determined by
exchange value--it costs such and such an amount of your labor. But
once you purchase it and take it home it ceases to be a commodity (unless
you intend to sell it piecemeal in anticipation of a profit) because
it doesn't have an exchange valuye anymore--it has a use value for you.
The same applies to the supermarket when it goes to the factory to
purchase the toilate paper. It is already a commodity because it is
available for exchange and is assigned an exchange value. Now if the
supermarket were to use a particular roll of paper for its executive
bathroom, that roll would cease to be a commodity because it is a
use value for the organization. This is also the same for the relationship
between capital and labor in the production process. Both exist as
commodities *before* they are "purchased" for production, but become
use values in the act of pruduction itself. (i.e. the capital equipment
and labor time is already purchased and its value is now based on its
"usefulness").
Clear now? Just wait until everyone else weighs in with her/his/its
position and you shall be so thoroughly confused that you may decide that
the question has no value whatsoever.
John Cross
