The Capitalist Mode of Production

According to the Marxist point of view, the ‘mode of production’ of a specific age/era is equal to, as we saw previously, to the existing relationship between ‘productive forces’ and ‘relations of production’ of that time.

This can be summarized in the following diagram:

 

In other words, the process is the same for any age/time/era. The only thing that changes is the relationship established between the four elements involved (Object, product, human activity and instruments, also called ‘means of work’). Let's examine these concepts a little further:

• Object:

• RAW MATERIAL (substance obtained directly form nature or substance which has been modified by work).

• Means of work:

• IN A STRICT SENSE (things the worker interposes directly between himself and the object on which he is working: tools)

• IN A WIDE SENSE (all the necessary material conditions to make work possible).

means of production = Object + Means of work (in a wide sense)

• human activity:

• WORK FORCE

• product:

• VALUE OF USE (every Object which responds to a specific human need).

PROCESS OF PRODUCTION =  Work Process which takes place under specific relations of production

SOCIAL DIVISION OF WORK =  Distribution of the different tasks which individuals perform in society:

• Workers: NON-OWNERS OF the means of production
• Workers: OWNERS OF the means of production.

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