Interesting that Marx starts CAPITAL with the more or less universal form of Capital, the commodity and then, works his way to the particulars of its expression in poverty, endless work time and the general servility involved in the wage system.
Two propositions of Marx and Engels which seem to have gone down the memory hole of contemporary leftists: "At the same time, and quite apart from the general servitude involved in the wages system, the working class ought not to exaggerate to themselves the ultimate working of these everyday struggles. They ought not to forget that they are fighting with effects, but not with the causes of those effects; that they are retarding the downward movement, but not changing its direction; that they are applying palliatives, not curing the malady. They ought, therefore, not to be exclusively absorbed in these unavoidable guerilla fights incessantly springing up from the never ceasing encroachments of capital or changes of the market. They ought to understand that, with all the miseries it imposes upon them, the present system simultaneously engenders the material conditions and the social forms necessary for an economical reconstruction of society. Instead of the conservative motto: “A fair day's wage for a fair day's work!” they ought to inscribe on their banner the revolutionary watchword: “Abolition of the wages system!"" Marx, "Value, Price and Profit" (1865) “With the seizing of the means of production by society production of commodities is done away with, and, simultaneously, the mastery of the product over the producer.” Engels, ANTI-DUHRING (1877) To imply that there was no post-wage labour vision embedded in the writings of Marx and Engels is probably one of the main stumbling blocks to revolutionary praxis today and for the continuance of radical liberalism posing as socialism. Writing receipts for the Sardis of the future is another matter entirely. For the works! Mike B) *********************************************************************** Wobbly Times http://wobblytimes.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
