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  Informertimes,capitalresortedtolegislation,whenevernecessary,toenforceitsproprietaryrightsoverthefreelabourer。Forinstance,downto1815,theemigrationofmechanicsemployedinmachinemakingwas,inEngland,forbidden,undergrievouspainsandpenalties。

  Thereproductionoftheworking—classcarrieswithittheaccumulationofskill,thatishandeddownfromonegenerationtoanother。[13]Towhatextentthecapitalistreckonstheexistenceofsuchaskilledclassamongthefactorsofproductionthatbelongtohimbyright,andtowhatextentheactuallyregardsitastherealityofhisvariablecapital,isseensosoonasacrisisthreatenshimwithitsloss。InconsequenceofthecivilwarintheUnitedStatesandoftheaccompanyingcottonfamine,themajorityofthecottonoperativesinLancashirewere,asiswellknown,thrownoutofwork。Bothfromtheworking—classitself,andfromotherranksofsociety,therearoseacryforStateaid,orforvoluntarynationalsubscriptions,inordertoenablethe\"superfluous\"

  handstoemigratetothecoloniesortotheUnitedStates。Thereupon,TheTimespublishedonthe24thMarch,1863,aletterfromEdmundPotter,aformerpresidentoftheManchesterChamberofCommerce。ThisletterwasrightlycalledintheHouseofCommons,themanufacturers’manifesto。[14]Wecullhereafewcharacteristicpassages,inwhichtheproprietaryrightsofcapitaloverlabour—powerareunblushinglyasserted。

  \"He\"(themanoutofwork)\"maybetoldthesupplyofcotton—workersistoolarge……and……must……infactbereducedbyathird,perhaps,andthatthentherewillbeahealthydemandfortheremainingtwo—thirds……

  Publicopinion……urgesemigration……Themastercannotwillinglyseehislaboursupplybeingremoved;hemaythink,andperhapsjustly,thatitisbothwrongandunsound……Butifthepublicfundsaretobedevotedtoassistemigration,hebasarighttobeheard,andperhapstoprotest。\"

  Mr。Potterthenshowshowusefulthecottontradeis,howthe\"tradehasundoubtedlydrawnthesurplus—populationfromIrelandandfromtheagriculturaldistricts,\"howimmenseisitsextent,howintheyear1860ityielded5/13thsofthetotalEnglishexports,how,afterafewyears,itwillagainexpandbytheextensionofthemarket,particularlyoftheIndianmarket,andbycallingforthaplentifulsupplyofcottonat6d。perlb。

  Hethencontinues:\"Sometime……,one,two,orthreeyears,itmaybe,willproducethequantity……ThequestionIwouldputthenisthis?Isthetradeworthretaining?Isitworthwhiletokeepthemachinery(hemeansthelivinglabourmachines)inorder,andisitnotthegreatestfollytothinkofpartingwiththat?Ithinkitis。I

  allowthattheworkersarenotaproperty,notthepropertyofLancashireandthemasters;buttheyarethestrengthofboth;theyarethementalandtrainedpowerwhichcannotbe。replacedforageneration;themeremachinerywhichtheyworkmightmuchofitbebeneficiallyreplaced,nayimproved,inatwelvemont;[15]Encourageorallow(!)theworking—powertoemigrate,andwhatofthecapitalist?……Takeawaythecreamoftheworkers,andfixedcapitalwilldepreciateinagreatdegree,andthefloatingwillnotsubjectitselftoastrugglewiththeshortsupplyofinferiorlabour……

  Wearetoldtheworkerswishit\"(emigration)。\"Verynaturalitisthattheyshoulddoso……Reduce,compressthecottontradebytakingawayitsworkingpowerandreducingtheirwagesexpenditure,sayone—fifth,orfivemillions,andwhatthenwouldhappentotheclassabove,thesmallshopkeepers;andwhatoftherents,thecottagerents……Traceouttheeffectsupwardstothesmallfarmer,thebetterhouseholder,and……thelandowner,andsayiftherecouldbeanysuggestionmoresuicidaltoallclassesofthecountrythanbyenfeeblinganationbyexportingthebestofitsmanufacturingpopulation,anddestroyingthevalueofsomeofitsmostproductivecapitalandenrichment……Iadvisealoan(offiveorsixmillionssterling),……extendingitmaybeovertwoorthreeyears,administeredbyspecialcommissionersaddedtotheBoardsofGuardiansinthecottondistricts,underspeciallegislativeregulations,enforcingsomeoccupationorlabour,asameansofkeepingupatleastthemoralstandardoftherecipientsoftheloan……cananythingbeworseforlandownersormastersthanpartingwiththebestoftheworkers,anddemoralisinganddisappointingtherestbyanextendeddepletiveemigration,adepletionofcapitalandvalueinanentireprovince?\"

  Potter,thechosenmouthpieceofthemanufacturers,distinguishestwosortsof\"machinery,\"eachofwhichbelongstothecapitalist,andofwhichonestandsinhisfactory,theotheratnight—timeandonSundaysishousedoutsidethefactory,incottages。Theoneisinanimate,theotherliving。

  Theinanimatemachinerynotonlywearsoutanddepreciatesfromdaytoday,butagreatpartofitbecomessoquicklysuperannuated,byconstanttechnicalprogress,thatitcanbereplacedwithadvantagebynewmachineryafterafewmonths。Thelivingmachinery,onthecontrarygetsbetterthelongeritlasts,andinproportionastheskill,handedfromonegenerationtoanother,accumulates。TheTimesansweredthecottonlordasfollows:

  \"Mr。EdmundPotterissoimpressedwiththeexceptionalandsupremeimportanceofthecottonmastersthat,inordertopreservethisclassandperpetuatetheirprofession,hewouldkeephalfamillionofthelabouringclassconfinedinagreatmoralworkhouseagainsttheir’will。’Isthetradeworthretaining?’asksMr。Potter。’Certainlybyallhonestmeansitis,’weanswer。’Isitworthwhilekeepingthemachineryinorder?’

  againasksMr。Potter。Herewehesitate。Bythe’machinery’Mr。Pottermeansthehumanmachinery,forhegoesontoprotestthathedoesnotmeantousethemasanabsoluteproperty。Wemustconfessthatwedonotthinkit’worthwhile,’orevenpossible,tokeepthehumanmachineryinorder—thatistoshutitupandkeepitoiledtillitiswanted。Humanmachinerywillrustunderinaction,oilandrubitasyoumay。Moreover,thehumanmachinerywill,aswehavejustseen,getthesteamupofitsownaccord,andburstorrunamuckinourgreattowns。itmight,asMr。Pottersays,requiresometimetoreproducetheworkers,but,havingmachinistsandcapitalistsathand,wecouldalwaysfindthrifty,hard,industriousmenwherewithtoimprovisemoremaster—manufacturersthanwecaneverwant。Mr。Pottertalksofthetradereviving’inone,two,orthreeyears,’andheasksusnot’toencourageorallow(!)theworkingpowertoemigrate。’[16]Hesaysthatitisverynaturaltheworkersshouldwishtoemigrate;buthethinksthatinspiteoftheirdesire,thenationoughttokeepthishalfmillionofworkerswiththeir700,000dependents,shutupinthecottondistricts;andasanecessaryconsequence,hemustofcoursethinkthatthenationoughttokeepdowntheirdiscontentbyforce,andsustainthembyalms?anduponthechancethatthecottonmastersmaysomedaywantthem……Thetimeiscomewhenthegreatpublicopinionoftheseislandsmustoperatetosavethis’workingpower’fromthosewhowoulddealwithitastheywoulddealwithiron,andcoal,andcotton。\"

  TheTimes’articlewasonlyajeud’esprit。The\"greatpublicopinion\"was,infact,ofMr。Potter’sopinion,thatthefactoryoperativesarepartofthemovablefittingsofafactory。Theiremigrationwasprevented。

  Theywerelockedupinthat\"moralworkhouse,\"thecottondistricts,andtheyform,asbefore,\"thestrength\"ofthecottonmanufacturersofLancashire。

  Capitalistproduction,therefore,ofitselfreproducestheseparationbetweenlabour—powerandthemeansoflabour。Ittherebyreproducesandperpetuatestheconditionforexploitingthelabourer。Itincessantlyforceshimtosellhislabour—powerinordertolive,andenablesthecapitalisttopurchaselabour—powerinorderthathemayenrichhimself。[17]Itisnolongeramereaccident,thatcapitalistandlabourerconfronteachotherinthemarketasbuyerandseller。Itistheprocessitselfthatincessantlyhurlsbackthelabourerontothemarketasavendorofhislabour—power,andthatincessantlyconvertshisownproductintoameansbywhichanothermancanpurchasehim。Inreality,thelabourerbelongstocapitalbeforehehassoldhimselftocapital。Hiseconomicbondage[18]isbothbroughtaboutandconcealedbytheperiodicsaleofhimself,byhischangeofmasters,andbytheoscillationsinthemarket—priceoflabour—power。[19]

  Capitalistproduction,therefore,underitsaspectofacontinuousconnectedprocess,ofaprocessofreproduction,producesnotonlycommodities,notonlysurplus—value,butitalsoproducesandreproducesthecapitalistrelation;ontheonesidethecapitalist,ontheotherthewage—labourer。[20]

  Footnotes[1]\"Maiscesriches,quiconsommentlesproduitsdutravaildesautres,nepeuventlesobtenirquepardeséchanges[purchasesofcommodities]。

  S’ilsdonnentcependantleurrichesseacquiseetaccumuléeenretourcontrecesproduitsnouveauxquisontl’objetdeleurfantaisie,ilssemblentexposésàépuiserbientôtleurfondsderéserve;

  ilsnetravaillentpoint,avors—nousdit,etilsnepeuventmêmetravailler;oncroiraitdoncquechaquejourdoitvoirdiminuerleursvieillesrichesses,etquelorsqu’ilneleurenresteraplus,rienneseraoffertenéchangeauxouvriersquitravaillentexclusivementpoureux……

  Maisdansl’ordresocial,larichesseaacquislapropriété

  desereproduireparletravaild’autrui,etsansquesonproprietaireyconcoure。Larichesse,commeletravail,etparletravail,donneunfruitannuelquipeutêtredétruitchaqueannéesansquelericheendeviennepluspauvre。Cefruitestlerevenuquinetducapital\"(Sismondi:\"Nouv。Princ。d’Econ。Pol。\"Paris,1819,t。I,pp。81—82。)

  [2]\"Wagesaswellasprofitsaretobeconsidered,eachofthem,asreallyaportionofthefinishedproduct。\"(Ramsay,l。c。,p。142。)\"Theshareoftheproductwhichcomestothelabourerintheformofwages。\"(J。Mill,\"Eléments,&c。\"TranslatedbyParissot。Paris,1823,p。34。)

  [3]\"Whencapitalisemployedinadvancingtotheworkmanhiswages,itaddsnothingtothefundsforthemaintenanceoflabour。\"(CazenoveinnotetohiseditionofMalthus’\"DefinitionsinPol。Econ。\"London,1853,p。

  22。)

  [4]\"Thewagesoflabourareadvancedbycapitalistsinthecaseoflessthanonefourthofthelabourersoftheearth。\"(Rich。Jones:\"TextbookofLecturesonthePol。Econ。ofNations。\"Hertford,1852,p。36。)

  [5]\"Thoughthemanufacturer\"(i。e。,thelabourer)\"hashiswagesadvancedtohimbyhismaster,heinrealitycostshimnoexpense,thevalueofthesewagesbeinggenerallyreserved,togetherwithaprofit,intheimprovedvalueofthesubjectuponwhichhislabourisbestowed。\"(A。Smith,l。

  c。,BookII……ch。III,p。311。)

  [6]\"Thisisaremarkablypeculiarpropertyofproductivelabour。Whateverisproductivelyconsumediscapitalanditbecomescapitalbyconsumption。\"

  (JamesMill,l。c。,p。242。)JamesMill,however,nevergotonthetrackofthis\"remarkablypeculiarproperty。\"

  [7]\"Itistrueindeed,thatthefirstintroducingamanufactureemploysmanypoor,buttheyceasenottobeso,andthecontinuanceofitmakesmany。\"

  (\"ReasonsforaLimitedExportationofWool。\"London,1677,p。19。)\"Thefarmernowabsurdlyasserts,thathekeepsthepoor。Theyareindeedkeptinmisery。\"(\"ReasonsfortheLateIncreaseofthePoorRates:oraComparativeViewofthePricesoflabourandProvisions。\"London,1777,p。31。)

  [8]Rossiwouldnotdeclaimsoemphaticallyagainstthis,hadliereallypenetratedthesecretof\"productiveconsumption。\"

  [9]\"ThelabourersintheminesofS。America,whosedailytask(theheaviestperhapsintheworld)consistsinbringingtothesurfaceontheirshouldersaloadofmetalweighingfrom180to200pounds,fromadepthof450feet,liveonbroadandbeansonly;theythemselveswouldpreferthebreadaloneforfood,buttheirmasters,whohavefoundoutthatthemencannotworksohardonbread,treatthemlikehorses,andcompelthemtoeatbeans;

  beans,however,arerelativelymuchricherinbone—earth(phosphateoflime)thanisbread。\"(Liebig,l。c。,vol。1。,p。194,note。)

  [10]JamesMill,l。c。,p。238。

  [11]\"Ifthepriceoflabourshouldrisesohighthat,notwithstandingtheincreaseofcapital,nomorecouldbeemployed,Ishouldsaythatsuchincreaseofcapitalwouldbestillunproductivelyconsumed。\"(Ricardo,l。c。,p。

  163。)

  [12]\"Theonlyproductiveconsumption,properlysocalled,istheconsumptionordestructionofwealth\"(healludestothemeansofproduction)\"bycapitalistswithaviewtoreproduction……Theworkman……isaproductiveconsumertothepersonwhoemployshim,andtotheState,butnot,strictlyspeaking,tohimself。\"(Malthus’\"Definitions,&c。\",p。30。)

  [13]\"Theonlything,ofwhichonecansay,thatitisstoredupandpreparedbeforehand,istheskillofthelabourer……Theaccumulationandstorageofskilledlabour,thatmostimportantoperation,is,asregardsthegreatmassoflabourers,accomplishedwithoutanycapitalwhatever。\"(Th。Hodgskin:

  \"LabourDefended,&c。,\"p。13。)

  [14]\"Thatlettermightbelookeduponasthemanifestoofthemanufacturers。\"

  (Ferrand:\"MotionontheCottonFamine。\"H。o。C。,27thApril,1863。)

  [15]Itwillnotbeforgottenthatthissamecapitalsingsquiteanothersong,underordinarycircumstances,whenthereisaquestionofreducingwages。

  Thenthemastersexclaimwithonevoice:\"Thefactoryoperativesshouldkeepinwholesomeremembrancethefactthattheirsisreallyalowspeciesofskilledlabour,andthatthereisnonewhichismoreeasilyacquired,orofitsqualitymoreamplyremunerated,orwhich,byashorttrainingoftheleastexpert,canbemorequickly,aswellasabundantly,acquired……Themaster’smachinery\"(whichwenowlearncanbereplacedwithadvantagein12months,)\"reallyplaysafarmoreimportantpartinthebusinessofproductionthanthelabourandskilloftheoperative\"(whocannotnowbereplacedunder30years),\"whichsixmonths’educationcanreach,andacommonlabourercanlearn。\"(Seeante,p。423。)

  [16]Parliamentdidnotvoteasinglefarthinginaidofemigration,butsimplypassedsomeActsempoweringthemunicipalcorporationstokeeptheoperativesinahalf—starvedstate,i。e。,toexploitthematlessthanthenormalwages。Ontheotherhand,when3yearslater,thecattlediseasebrokeout,Parliamentbrokewildlythroughitsusagesandvoted,straightoff,millionsforindemnifyingthemillionairelandlords,whosefarmersinanyeventcameoffwithoutloss,owingtotheriseinthepriceofmeat。

  Thebull—likebellowofthelandedproprietorsattheopeningofParliament,in1866,showedthatamancanworshipthecowSabalawithoutbeingaHindu,andcanchangehimselfintoanoxwithoutbeingaJupiter。

  [17]\"L’ouvrierdemandaitdelasubsistencepourvivre,lechefdemandaitdutravailpourgagner。\"(Sismondi,l。c。,p。91。)

  [18]AboorishlyclumsyformofthisbondageexistsinthecountyofDurham。

  ThisIsoneofthefewcounties,inwhichcircumstancesdonotsecuretothefarmerundisputedproprietaryrightsovertheagriculturallabourer。

  Theminingindustryallowsthelattersomechoice。Inthiscounty,thefarmer,contrarytothecustomelsewhere,rentsonlysuchfarmsashaveonthemlabourers’cottages。Therentofthecottageisapartofthewages。

  Thesecottagesareknownas\"hinds’houses。\"Theyarelettothelabourersinconsiderationofcertainfeudalservices,underacontractcalled\"bondage,\"

  which,amongstotherthings,bindsthelabourer,duringthetimeheisemployedelsewhere,toleavesomeone,sayhisdaughter,&c。,tosupplyhisplace。Thelabourerhimselfiscalleda\"bondsman。\"Therelationshipheresetupalsoshowshowindividualconsumptionbythelabourerbecomesconsumptiononbehalfofcapital—orproductiveconsumption—fromquiteanewpointofview:\"Itiscurioustoobservethattheverydungofthehindandbondsmanistheperquisiteofthecalculatinglord……andthelordwillallownoprivybuthisowntoexistintheneighbourhood,andwillrathergiveabitofmanurehereandthereforagardenthanbateanypartofhisseigneurialright。\"(\"PublicHealth,ReportVII。,1864,\"

  p。188。)

  [19]Itwillnotbeforgotten,that,withrespecttothelabourofchildren,&c。,eventheformalityofavoluntarysaledisappears。

  [20]\"Capitalpre—supposeswage—labour,andwage—labourpre—supposescapital。

  Oneisanecessaryconditiontotheexistenceoftheother;theymutuallycalleachotherintoexistence。Doesanoperativeinacotton—factoryproducenothingbutcottongoods?No,heproducescapital。Heproducesvaluesthatgivefreshcommandoverhislabour,andthat,bymeansofsuchcommand,createfreshvalues。\"(KarlMarx:\"LohnarbeitundKapital,\"intheNeueRheinischeZeitung:No。266,7thApril,1849。)ThearticlespublishedundertheabovetitleintheN。Rh。Z。arepartsofsomelecturesgivenbymeonthatsubject,in1847,intheGerman\"Arheiter—Verein\"atBrussels,thepublicationofwhichwasinterruptedbytherevolutionofFebruary。

  ChapterTwenty—FourKarlMarxCapitalVolumeOnePartVII:

  TheAccumulationofCapitalCHAPTERTWENTY—FOUR:

  CONVERSIONOFSURPLUS—VALUEINTOCAPITAL

  ContentsSection1—CapitalistProductiononaProgressivelyIncreasingScale。TransitionoftheLawsofPropertythatCharacteriseProductionofCommoditiesintoLawsofCapitalistAppropriationSection2—ErroneousConception,byPoliticalEconomy,ofReproductiononaProgressivelyIncreasingScaleSection3—SeparationofSurplus—ValueintoCapitalandRevenue。TheAbstinenceTheorySection4—Circumstancesthat,IndependentlyoftheProportionalDivisionofSurplus—ValueintoCapitalandRevenue,DeterminetheAmountofAccumulation。DegreeofExploitationofLabour—Power。ProductivityofLabour。GrowingDifferenceinAmountBetweenCapitalEmployedandCapitalConsumed。MagnitudeofCapitalAdvancedSection5—TheSo—CalledLabour—FundSECTION1。CAPITALISTPRODUCTIONONAPROGRESSIVELYINCREASINGSCALE。TRANSITIONOF

  THELAWSOFPROPERTYTHATCHARACTERISEPRODUCTIONOFCOMMODITIESINTOLAWS

  OFCAPITALISTAPPROPRIATION

  Hithertowehaveinvestigatedhowsurplus—valueemanatesfromcapital;

  wehavenowtoseehowcapitalarisesfromsurplus—value。Employingsurplus—valueascapital,reconvertingitintocapital,iscalledaccumulationofcapital。[1]

  Firstletusconsiderthistransactionfromthestandpointoftheindividualcapitalist。Supposeaspinnertohaveadvancedacapitalof£10,000,ofwhichfour—fifths(£8,000)arelaidoutincotton,machinery,&c。,andone—fifth(£2,000)inwages。Lethimproduce240,000

  lbs。ofyamannually,havingavalueof£2,000。Therateofsurplus—valuebeing100%,thesurplus—valueliesinthesurplusornetproductof40,000

  lbs。ofyarn,one—sixthofthegrossproduct,withavalueof£2,000

  whichwillberealisedbyasale。£2,000is£2,000。Wecanneitherseenorsmellinthissumofmoneyatraceofsurplus—value。Whenweknowthatagivenvalueissurplus—value,weknowhowitsownercamebyit;butthatdoesnotalterthenatureeitherofvalueorofmoney。

  Inordertoconvertthisadditionalsumof£2,000intocapital,themaster—spinnerwill,allcircumstancesremainingasbefore,advancefour—fifthsofit(£1,600)inthepurchaseofcotton,&c。,andone—fifth(£400)inthepurchaseofadditionalspinners,whowillfindinthemarketthenecessariesoflifewhosevaluethemasterhasadvancedtothem。

  Thenthenewcapitalof£2,000functionsinthespinning—mill,andbringsin,initsturn,asurplus—valueof£400。

  Thecapital—valuewasoriginallyadvancedinthemoney—form。Thesurplus—valueonthecontraryis,originally,thevalueofadefiniteportionofthegrossproduct。Ifthisgrossproductbesold,convertedintomoney,thecapital—valueregainsitsoriginalform。Fromthismomentthecapital—valueandthesurplus—valuearebothofthemsumsofmoney,andtheirreconversionintocapitaltakesplaceinpreciselythesameway。Theone,aswellastheother,islaidoutbythecapitalistinthepurchaseofcommoditiesthatplacehiminapositiontobeginafreshthefabricationofhisgoods,andthistime,onanextendedscale。Butinordertobeabletobuythosecommodities,hemustfindthemreadyinthemarket。

  Hisownyamscirculate,onlybecausehebringshisannualproducttomarket,asallothercapitalistslikewisedowiththeircommodities。Butthesecommodities,beforecomingtomarket,werepartofthegeneralannualproduct,partofthetotalmassofobjectsofeverykind,intowhichthesumoftheindividualcapitals,i。e。,thetotalcapitalofsociety,hadbeenconvertedinthecourseoftheyear,andofwhicheachcapitalisthadinhandonlyanaliquotpart。Thetransactionsinthemarketeffectuateonlytheinterchangeoftheindividualcomponentsofthisannualproduct,transferthemfromonehandtoanother,butcanneitheraugmentthetotalannualproduction,noralterthenatureoftheobjectsproduced。Hencetheusethatcanbemadeofthetotalannualproduct,dependsentirelyuponitsowncomposition,butinnowayuponcirculation。

  Theannualproduction,mustinthefirstplacefurnishallthoseobjects(use—values)fromwhichthematerialcomponentsofcapital,usedupinthecourseoftheyear,havetobereplaced。Deductingthesethereremainsthenetorsurplus—product,inwhichthesurplus—valuelies。Andofwhatdoesthissurplus—productconsist?Onlyofthingsdestinedtosatisfythewantsanddesiresofthecapitalistclass,thingswhich,consequently,enterintotheconsumption—fundofthecapitalists?Werethatthecase,thecupofsurplus—valuewouldbedrainedtotheverydregs,andnothingbutsimplereproductionwouldevertakeplace。

  Toaccumulateitisnecessarytoconvertaportionofthesurplus—productintocapital。Butwecannot,exceptbyamiracle,convertintocapitalanythingbutsucharticlesascanbeemployedinthelabour—process(i。e。,meansofproduction),andsuchfurtherarticlesasaresuitableforthesustenanceofthelabourer(i。e。,meansofsubsistence)。Consequently,apartoftheannualsurplus—labourmusthavebeenappliedtotheproductionofadditionalmeansofproductionandsubsistence,overandabovethequantityofthesethingsrequiredtoreplacethecapitaladvanced。Inoneword,surplus—valueisconvertibleintocapitalsolelybecausethesurplus—product,whosevalueitis,alreadycomprisesthematerialelementsofnewcapital。[2]

  Nowinordertoallowoftheseelementsactuallyfunctioningascapital,thecapitalistclassrequiresadditionallabour。Iftheexploitationofthelabourersalreadyemployeddonotincrease,eitherextensivelyorintensively,thenadditionallabour—powermustbefound。Forthisthemechanismofcapitalistproductionprovidesbeforehand,byconvertingtheworking—classintoaclassdependentonwages,aclasswhoseordinarywagessuffice,notonlyforitsmaintenance,butforitsincrease。itisonlynecessaryforcapitaltoincorporatethisadditionallabour—power,annuallysuppliedbytheworking—classintheshapeoflabourersofallages,withthesurplusmeansofproductioncomprisedintheannualproduce,andtheconversionofsurplus—valueintocapitaliscomplete。Fromaconcretepointofview,accumulationresolvesitselfintothereproductionofcapitalonaprogressivelyincreasingscale。

  Thecircleinwhichsimplereproductionmoves,altersitsform,and,touseSismondi’sexpression,changesintoaspiral。[3]

  Letusnowreturntoourillustration。Itistheoldstory:AbrahambegatIsaac,IsaacbegatJacob,andsoon。Theoriginalcapitalof£10,000

  bringsinasurplus—valueof£2,000,whichiscapitalised。Thenewcapitalof£2,000bringsinasurplus—valueof£400,andthis,too,iscapitalised,convertedintoasecondadditionalcapital,which,initsturn,producesafurthersurplus—valueof£80。Andsotheballrollson。

  Wehereleaveoutofconsiderationtheportionofthesurplus—valueconsumedbythecapitalist。Justaslittledoesitconcernus,forthemoment,whethertheadditionalcapitalisjoinedontotheoriginalcapital,orisseparatedfromittofunctionindependently;whetherthesamecapitalist,whoaccumulatedit,employsit,orwhetherhehandsitovertoanother。

  Thisonlywemustnotforget,thatbythesideofthenewly—formedcapital,theoriginalcapitalcontinuestoreproduceitself,andtoproducesurplus—value,andthatthisisalsotrueofallaccumulatedcapital,andtheadditionalcapitalengenderedbyit。

  Theoriginalcapitalwasformedbytheadvanceof£10,000。Howdidtheownerbecomepossessedofit?\"Byhisownlabourandthatofhisforefathers,\"

  answerunanimouslythespokesmenofPoliticalEconomy。[4]And,infact,theirsuppositionappearstheonlyoneconsonantwiththelawsoftheproductionofcommodities。

  Butitisquiteotherwisewithregardtotheadditionalcapitalof£2,000。

  Howthatoriginatedweknowperfectlywell。Thereisnotonesingleatomofitsvaluethatdoesnotoweitsexistencetounpaidlabour。Themeansofproduction,withwhichtheadditionallabour—powerisincorporated,aswellasthenecessarieswithwhichthelabourersaresustained,arenothingbutcomponentpartsofthesurplus—product,ofthetributeannuallyexactedfromtheworking—classbythecapitalistclass。Thoughthelatterwithaportionofthattributepurchasestheadditionallabour—powerevenatitsfullprice,sothatequivalentisexchangedforequivalent,yetthetransactionisforallthatonlytheolddodgeofeveryconquerorwhobuyscommoditiesfromtheconqueredwiththemoneyhehasrobbedthemof。

  Iftheadditionalcapitalemploysthepersonwhoproducedit,thisproducermustnotonlycontinuetoaugmentthevalueoftheoriginalcapital,butmustbuybackthefruitsofhispreviouslabourwithmorelabourthantheycost。Whenviewedasatransactionbetweenthecapitalistclassandtheworking—class,itmakesnodifferencethatadditionallabourersareemployedbymeansoftheunpaidlabourofthepreviouslyemployedlabourers。Thecapitalistmayevenconverttheadditionalcapitalintoamachinethatthrowstheproducersofthatcapitaloutofwork,andthatreplacesthembyafewchildren。Ineverycasetheworking—classcreatesbythesurplus—labourofoneyearthecapitaldestinedtoemployadditionallabourinthefollowingyear。[5]Andthisiswhatiscalled:creatingcapitaloutofcapital。

  Theaccumulationofthefirstadditionalcapitalof£2,000pre—supposesavalueof£10,000belongingtothecapitalistbyvirtueofhis\"primitivelabour,\"andadvancedbyhim。Thesecondadditionalcapitalof£400

  pre—supposes,onthecontrary,onlythepreviousaccumulationofthe£2,000,ofwhichthe£400isthesurplus—valuecapitalised。Theownershipofpastunpaidlabouristhenceforththesoleconditionfortheappropriationoflivingunpaidlabouronaconstantlyincreasingscale。Themorethecapitalisthasaccumulated,themoreisheabletoaccumulate。

  Insofarasthesurplus—value,ofwhichtheadditionalcapital,No。

  1,consists,istheresultofthepurchaseoflabour—powerwithpartoftheoriginalcapital,apurchasethatconformedtothelawsoftheexchangeofcommodities,andthat,fromalegalstandpoint,pre—supposesnothingbeyondthefreedisposal,onthepartofthelabourer,ofhisowncapacities,andonthepartoftheownerofmoneyorcommodities,ofthevaluesthatbelongtohim;insofarastheadditionalcapital,No。2,&c。,isthemereresultofNo。1,and,therefore,aconsequenceoftheaboveconditions;insofaraseachsingletransactioninvariablyconformstothelawsoftheexchangeofcommodities,thecapitalistbuyinglabour—power,thelabourersellingit,andwewillassumeatitsrealvalue;

  insofarasallthisistrue,itisevidentthatthelawsofappropriationorofprivateproperty,lawsthatarebasedontheproductionandcirculationofcommodities,becomebytheirowninnerandinexorabledialecticchangedintotheirveryopposite。Theexchangeofequivalents,theoriginaloperationwithwhichwestarted,hasnowbecometurnedroundinsuchawaythatthereisonlyanapparentexchange。Thisisowingtothefact,first,thatthecapitalwhichisexchangedforlabour—powerisitselfbutaportionoftheproductofothers’labourappropriatedwithoutanequivalent;and,secondly,thatthiscapitalmustnotonlybereplacedbyitsproducer,butreplacedtogetherwithanaddedsurplus。Therelationofexchangesubsistingbetweencapitalistandlabourerbecomesameresemblanceappertainingtotheprocessofcirculation,amereform,foreigntotherealnatureofthetransaction,andonlymystifyingit。Theeverrepeatedpurchaseandsaleoflabour—powerisnowthemereform;whatreallytakesplaceisthis?thecapitalistagainandagainappropriates,withoutequivalent,aportionofthepreviouslymaterialisedlabourofothers,andexchangesitforagreaterquantityoflivinglabour;Atfirsttherightsofpropertyseemedtoustobebasedonaman’sownlabour。Atleast,somesuchassumptionwasnecessarysinceonlycommodity—ownerswithequalrightsconfrontedeachother,andthesolemeansbywhichamancouldbecomepossessedofthecommoditiesofothers,wasbyalienatinghisowncommodities;andthesecouldbereplacedbylabouralone。Now,however,propertyturnsouttobetheright,onthepartofthecapitalist,toappropriatetheunpaidlabourofothersoritsproduct,andtobetheimpossibility,onthepartofthelabourer,ofappropriatinghisownproduct。Theseparationofpropertyfromlabourhasbecomethenecessaryconsequenceofalawthatapparentlyoriginatedintheiridentity。[6]

  Therefore,[7]howevermuchthecapitalistmodeofappropriationmayseemtoflyinthefaceoftheoriginallawsofcommodityproduction,itneverthelessarises,notfromaviolation,but,onthecontrary,fromtheapplicationoftheselaws。Letusmakethisclearoncemorebybrieflyreviewingtheconsecutivephasesofmotionwhoseculminatingpointiscapitalistaccumulation。

  Wesaw,inthefirstplace,thattheoriginalconversionofasumofvaluesintocapitalwasachievedincompleteaccordancewiththelawsofexchange。Onepartytothecontractsellshislabour—power,theotherbuysit。Theformerreceivesthevalueofhiscommodity,whoseuse—value?labour?istherebyalienatedtothebuyer。Meansofproductionwhichalreadybelongtothelatterarethentransformedbyhim,withtheaidoflabourequallybelongingtohim,intoanewproductwhichislikewiselawfullyhis。

  Thevalueofthisproductincludes:first,thevalueoftheused—upmeansofproduction。Usefullabourcannotconsumethesemeansofproductionwithouttransferringtheirvaluetothenewproduct,but,tobesaleable,labour—powermustbecapableofsupplyingusefullabourinthebranchofindustryinwhichitistobeemployed。

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