Das Kapital Philosophical Viewpoints: Communism Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph) or (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

One thing, however, is clear: nature does not produce on the one hand owners of money or commodities, and on the other hand men possessing nothing but their own labour-power. This relation has no basis in natural history, nor does it have a social basis common to all periods of human history. It is clearly the result of a past historical development, the product of many economic revolutions, of the extinction of a whole series of older formations of social production. (6.7)

Sometimes people born into a particular religion are convinced that specific religion conveniently happens to be true. To them, the viewpoint of that religion is just the way life is. Similarly, people born under capitalism tend to think capitalism is just the way life is, so much so that they imagine it has always been here and always will be here. But Marx is saying the division between rich people and working class people is a specific phase in history that can change.

Quote #5

When we leave this sphere of simple circulation or the exchange of commodities, which provides the 'free-trader vulgaris' with his views, his concepts and the standard by which he judges the society of capital and wage-labour, a certain change takes place, or so it appears, in the physiognomy of our dramatis personae. He who was previously the money-owner now strides out in front as a capitalist; the possessor of labour-power follows as his worker. The one smirks self-importantly and is intent on business; the other is timid and holds back, like someone who has brought his own hide to market and now has nothing else to expect but—a tanning. (6.23)

What's up with all these words in italics? Well, by free-trader vulgaris, Marx means the pop economists of his day who promoted capitalism. By dramatis personae, he means stage actors. Basically, in this passage, Marx is saying that in Das Kapital, he's leaving behind the discussion of the sphere of circulation, where commodities and money move around in those goofy C-M-C and M-C-M' processes, and delving into the sphere of production, where we actually see capitalists abusing workers in factories and the like.

Quote #6

But what is a working day? At all events, it is less than a natural day. How much less? The capitalist has his own views of this point of no return, the necessary limit of the working day. As a capitalist, he is only capital personified. His soul is the soul of capital. But capital has one sole driving force, the drive to valorize itself, to create surplus-value, to make its constant part, the means of production, absorb the greatest possible amount of surplus labour. (10.1.5)

Here Marx is arguing that we don't need to get bogged down in arguments over whether individual billionaires are meanies or nice people. Rather, they have to play the role of capitalists, and so the system keeps going regardless of their personalities. He thinks they have to play the role of seeking out surplus-value because if they don't, their competitors surely will, and in the process will put them out of business by being more ruthless.