commodities
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revisionNext revisionBoth sides next revision | ||
commodities [2014/08/14 22:58] – Ryan Schram (admin) | commodities [2014/08/16 00:00] – Ryan Schram (admin) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
====== Commodities ====== | ====== Commodities ====== | ||
- | [[Karl Marx]]’s conceptualisation of commodities is central to his argument | + | In his book //Das Kapital//, |
In another light, it is useful to think of the commodity as the logical opposite of a [[reciprocity|Maussian gift]], and gift systems and the capitalist system as two alternative forms of society. Of course, reality is always more complicated than that, but this is a simplified model meant to clarify different kinds of social and economic practice. | In another light, it is useful to think of the commodity as the logical opposite of a [[reciprocity|Maussian gift]], and gift systems and the capitalist system as two alternative forms of society. Of course, reality is always more complicated than that, but this is a simplified model meant to clarify different kinds of social and economic practice. | ||
Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
To understand what makes a commodity different than any other object, we have to talk about value. We have to ask what we mean by saying something is worthy, valuable, or good. Many things are useful, but it is hard to compare this value - its use value - to anything else. Shoes are good for keeping feet warm. Mobile phones are good for calling people… | To understand what makes a commodity different than any other object, we have to talk about value. We have to ask what we mean by saying something is worthy, valuable, or good. Many things are useful, but it is hard to compare this value - its use value - to anything else. Shoes are good for keeping feet warm. Mobile phones are good for calling people… | ||
- | And yet people do compare them when they exchange them. Somehow there must be a common basis for comparison. Like Adam Smith, David Ricardo and the other “worldly philosophers" | + | And yet people do compare them when they exchange them. Somehow there must be a common basis for comparison. Like Adam Smith, David Ricardo and the other “worldly philosophers" |
Unlike his predecessors, | Unlike his predecessors, |
commodities.txt · Last modified: 2022/07/31 21:30 by Ryan Schram (admin)