Define the term labor force. The concept of labor and labor force. The role of the labor force in the modern economy

WORK FORCE

strength, ability to work, the totality of physical and intellectual abilities that a person has and which are used by him to produce life's goods. R. s. can function only in a system of certain production relations and is the main productive force of society, the determining element of the productive forces. “The first productive force of all mankind,” V. I. Lenin emphasized, “is the worker, the laborer” (Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 38, p. 359).

Inactive in the process of labor activity on the substance of nature, modifying and subordinating it to himself, a person, in turn, improves labor skills, gains production experience, and accumulates theoretical and technical knowledge. The level of development of the means of labor has a decisive influence on the nature and scope of labor functions. Socio-economic conditions for the use of R. s. are directly dependent on the method of combining labor power with the means of production. “That special character and the way in which this connection is carried out,” K. Marx pointed out, “distinguishes various economic eras of the social system” (K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 24, p. 43- 44). Under the conditions of the slave-owning and feudal modes of production, the property (full and incomplete) of the ruling classes in the R. with. was a prerequisite for exploitation based on non-economic methods of forced labor. Under capitalism, R. s. acts as a commodity. R. s. becomes a commodity in the presence of certain socio-economic conditions. First, R.'s carrier with. must be a legally independent person and be able to freely dispose of his R. s. Secondly, the owner R. s. must be deprived of the means of production, i.e., not have the opportunity to conduct an independent economy. R.'s transformation with. into a commodity was a natural result of the development of small-scale commodity production. On the basis of the operation of the law of value (see the Law of Value), a process of differentiation of commodity producers took place. An important role in preparing the conditions for capitalist production, in separating the direct producers from the means of production, was played by such non-economic and economic factors as the expropriation of land, cruel laws against the expropriated, the colonial system, state loans, taxes, protectionism, etc.

Like any other product, R. s. under capitalism it has value and use value. The cost of a specific product R. s. is determined by the cost of the means of subsistence necessary for the worker to carry out normal labor activities and support his family. Along with meeting the needs for food, clothing, housing, the cost of R. s. includes a spiritual element (cultural needs of workers, spending on education, training). Great influence on the size and cost structure of R. s. in different countries have historical features of its formation. R.'s cost with. varies depending on the level of economic development of the country, natural and climatic conditions, revolutionary traditions and organization of the working class.

Contradictory impact on the dynamics of the cost of R. s. rendered by the modern scientific and technological revolution. On the one hand, the gigantic development of the productive forces and the growth of the social productivity of labor lead to a reduction in the cost of the means of subsistence consumed by the workers, and, consequently, contribute to a reduction in the value of the specific commodity R. s. On the other hand, there are factors contributing to the increase in the cost of R. s. Thus, the intensification of production processes requires additional costs associated with compensation for the increased expenditure of physical and nervous energy.

The transformation of science into a direct productive force and qualitative changes in the material and technical base (automation of production, the introduction of cybernetic and computing devices, chemicalization of production, and so on) led to shifts in the professional and qualification composition of the R. s. in the direction of expanding the number of professions in which mental labor predominates, and also predetermined an increase in the proportion of highly and medium-skilled workers. It also requires additional spending on raising the educational level of the working class, vocational training and retraining of personnel.

In a capitalist society, the cost of R. with. takes the transformed form of wages. The capitalist mode of production is characterized by a tendency for wages to lag behind the value of wages. (See in Art. Living wage). Under the conditions of state-monopoly capitalism, this tendency is intensified under the influence of the policy of prices, taxation, and inflation.

The use value of R. s. consists in the ability of the worker to create surplus value for the capitalist in the process of production. The economic interest of the capitalist as a buyer of R. s. is realized in the fact that in the process of labor activity the value created by the R. s. turns out to be greater than the value of the R. s. Modern capitalism is characterized by the intensification of the exploitation of hired labor.

In a socialist society, R.'s connection with. with the means of production is carried out under conditions of social ownership of the means of production (see Socialist property), on the basis of a planned organization of the production process. According to its economic content, according to the nature of its inclusion in the system of social production, R. s. under socialism is not a commodity. At the same time, under socialism, the form of hiring labor is retained. The acquisition of vital goods necessary to satisfy the growing needs of members of socialist society and ensure the all-round development of the individual is mediated by monetary payments and rewards in accordance with the quantity and quality of labor expended by the worker (with the exception of part of the social consumption funds). The preservation of the form of hiring labor is due to the presence of a certain economic independence of state and cooperative enterprises, the need to control the measure of labor and the measure of consumption of workers of different qualifications, and the preservation of commodity-money relations in the socialist economy. Socialist society routinely takes into account the cost of life's blessings in the reproduction of R. s. The magnitude of the cost of these vital goods serves as a factor in the formation of the minimum wage under socialism.

Under the conditions of a developed socialist society, under the influence of the scientific and technological revolution, progressive changes are being made in the vocational training and qualifications of workers in the workforce, the cultural and technical level of the working people is rising, labor is increasingly acquiring a creative character, and the differences between manual and mental workers are being erased.

Lit .: Marx K., Capital, vol. 1, ch. 4, 5, 17-24, Marx K. and Engels F., Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 23; Lenin V.I., Speech at the 1st All-Russian Congress on Out-of-School Education, Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 38; his own. Economy and politics in the era of the dictatorship of the proletariat, ibid., vol. 39; The modern working class of the capitalist countries. (Changes in the structure), M., 1965; Gauzner N. D., Scientific and technical progress and the working class of the USA, M., 1968; Social problems of the modern scientific and technological revolution, M., 1969; Socio-economic problems of the use of labor, M., 1973.

A. A. Khandruev.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB. 2012

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is WORK FORCE in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

  • WORK FORCE in Vasiliev's Dictionary of Economic Terms:
    - the total number of citizens of the country of working age who have a job, and citizens who cannot find work for themselves ...
  • WORK FORCE
    ..1) in the statistics of most countries, the economically active population includes the employed and the unemployed; ..2) a person’s ability to work, i.e., the totality of his ...
  • WORK FORCE in the Thesaurus of Russian business vocabulary:
    Syn: workers, ...
  • WORK FORCE in the Russian Thesaurus:
    Syn: workers, ...
  • WORK FORCE in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language:
    Syn: workers, ...
  • WORK FORCE in the Modern Explanatory Dictionary, TSB:
    ,..1) in the statistics of most countries, the economically active population includes the employed and the unemployed; ..2) a person’s ability to work, i.e., the totality of his ...
  • STRENGTH in the Directory of Miracles, Unusual Phenomena, UFOs, and More:
    physical quantity, which is a measure of the impact on any body from the outside or from the inside. In physics, there are mechanical force, the force of sound, inertia, gravity, ...
  • POWER in Wiki Quote:
    Data: 2007-12-26 Time: 14:35:20 * Endurance is more noble than strength. (John Ruskin) * There is power in motion...
  • WORKING The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons:
    PART - a part of a throwing weapon, which is used to strike, thrust and ...
  • STRENGTH in the Dictionary of thieves' jargon:
    - excellence, ...
  • STRENGTH in Miller's Dream Book, dream book and interpretation of dreams:
    To dream that someone is using force against you means that you will be defeated by your opponents. If you use force ...
  • STRENGTH
    GROWTH - the relative increase in the accumulated amount in an infinitely small interval ...
  • STRENGTH in the Dictionary of Economic Terms:
    Irresistible - see Irresistible FORCE...
  • WORKING in the Dictionary of Economic Terms:
    POWER - 1) in Marxist political economy: a person's ability to work, his labor opportunities. In modern economic science, it is more often used ...
  • WORKING in the Dictionary of Economic Terms:
    WEEK - the norm of working hours in a calendar week. In accordance with Art. 46 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, a five-day period is established for employees ...
  • WORKING in the Dictionary of Economic Terms:
    CARD - see OPERATING CARD ...
  • STRENGTH in the Concise Church Slavonic Dictionary:
    - power, ...
  • STRENGTH in the Bible Encyclopedia of Nicephorus:
    (Acts 15:40; abbreviated word Silouan 2 Cor 1:19) - one of the 70 apostles, called in the book. Acts to those in charge among brothers (15:22) ...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    (Silos) (1st century) apostle from the 70s, associate and fellow prisoner of the apostle Paul (Acts of the Apostles 15:22, 40-41; 16:19-29), bishop in Corinth. Memory …
  • STRENGTH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
    inertia (in mechanics) - equal and directly opposite to the lost force The lost force is the geometric difference between a given force applied ...
  • STRENGTH in the Modern Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  • STRENGTH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    (in mechanics), a measure of action on a given material body from other bodies or physical fields. Causes a change in the speed of the body (see ...
  • STRENGTH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    , -s, w. 1. A quantity that is a measure of the mechanical interaction of bodies, causing their acceleration or deformation; characteristic of the intensity of physical processes (special). …
  • STRENGTH
    GRAVITY FORCE, force P, acting on any material point located near the earth's surface, and defined as a geom. amount of power...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    CURRENT POWER, equal to electric. charge passing through the cross section of the conductor in 1 ...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    POWER OF LIGHT, the luminous flux propagating inside a solid angle equal to 1 steradian. The SI unit of measure is the candela...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    FORCE OF INERTIA, a vector quantity numerically equal to the product of the mass m of a material point and the modulus of its acceleration w and directed oppositely ...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    THE POWER OF SOUND, the same as the intensity of the wave...
  • STRENGTH in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    STRENGTH (in mechanics), a measure of mechanical. actions on a given material body by other bodies. This action causes a change in the velocities of the points...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    WORKING MIXTURE, a mixture of combustible gas or fuel vapor with air in a ratio that ensures its combustion in the engine cylinder, vnutr. combustion. …
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    WORK FORCE, in modern. economy science - economically active population, includes employed and unemployed; in Marxist theory - the ability ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    "WORKING PARTY OF THE POLITICAL LIBERATION OF RUSSIA", populist-SR org-tion, 1899-1902, Minsk; organizers - G.A. Gershuni, L.M. Klyachko. Up to 40 work circles (approx. …
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    WORKING PARTY, French. labor party; headed by J. Guesde and P. Lafargue. The decision to create it was made in 1879 (on ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    Labor Party of Great Britain, see Labor Party ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    "WORKERS' OPPOSITION", a group in the RCP (b), which arose in 1921 during the trade union discussion (A.G. Shlyapnikov, A.M. Kollontai, S.P. Medvedev and ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    WORKING WEEK, the statutory duration of work during a calendar week. By growing up right normal duration R.n. cannot exceed 40 ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    "WORKING THOUGHT", newspaper, organ of "economists", Oct. 1897 - Dec. 1902, 16 issues: St. Petersburg - No. 1-2, Berlin - No. 3-11, ...
  • WORKING in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    WORKING AREA, a section of the workplace, limited by viewing angles, the amplitude of a person’s movement and his choice of posture in the process of work. Dimensions R.z. …
  • STRENGTH in Collier's Dictionary:
    a physical impact that leads or tends to lead to a change in the state of rest or movement of a material body. The action of any force on the body obeys ...

The number of people who are willing to work for hire. In different countries, this indicator is calculated differently. It usually includes the number of employed plus the registered unemployed. There are age and other restrictions. For example, American statistics take into account people who are at least 16 years old. There are certain methodological issues - for example, whether to include in this indicator the "self-employed" population (small entrepreneurs, farmers, artists) or only employees. In most cases, this category of the population is taken into account as part of another indicator - "economically active population".

Sometimes the labor force is also understood as the employees of an enterprise, often with the exception of administrative staff.

Work force in popular literature and journalism - workers. Most often, they mean manual laborers performing low-skilled work. Usually no distinction is made between voluntary employment and forced labour. Example: "The goals of the occupation regime were the destruction of the USSR as a state and the transformation of its territory into an agricultural and raw material appendage and a source of cheap labor for Germany and its allies."

Labor force in the theory of Karl Marx

Karl Marx, in his Capital, stated the following:

  • Under the conditions of the capitalist mode of production, labor power is a specific commodity. The bearer of the labor force is its owner and is legally free to dispose of it. At the same time, he does not have the means of production for independent management and, in order to obtain a livelihood, he is forced to sell his labor power.
  • The cost of labor power is determined by the costs of maintaining the life of a worker and the proper level of working capacity, his sufficient training, education and reproduction. These costs significantly depend on the level of economic development of the country, natural and climatic conditions, intensity and complexity of labor, employment of women and children. The cost of labor is manifested in the form of wages, which are additionally influenced by the situation in the economy and the labor market. During a period of economic growth and increased employment, wages can significantly exceed the cost of labor, which allows workers to significantly improve their financial situation. During a recession, wages can fall below the cost of labor, which leads to the expenditure of previously accumulated reserves and to a sharp deterioration in the situation of workers.
  • The value (utility) of labor power as a commodity is the ability in the process of labor (the use by the capitalist of the purchased labor power) of creating new value, which is usually greater than the value paid to the worker. This excess Marx called surplus value. It is the surplus value that serves as the basis for the formation of profit.
  • Labor power is not always a commodity. It may not belong to a person and be taken without an equivalent exchange (for example, from a slave or a serf). A person may not have legal freedom (a prisoner, a child). A person can work independently and then sell the results of labor, and not his own labor (artisan, artist, farmer, private entrepreneur, if they do not use hired workers).

Criticism of the Marxist approach

Some economic theories do not recognize labor power as an independent commodity. They usually claim to sell directly work. They explain the formation of profit by the special properties of capital or the payment for the rarity of entrepreneurial talent.


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Synonyms:

See what "Workforce" is in other dictionaries:

    See Working force Glossary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001 ... Glossary of business terms

    - (labor force) The number of people available for work. Many factors influence it. The working age of the population depends on the acquisition of secondary and higher education, which entails a reduction in the number of young people ... ... Economic dictionary

    Exist., number of synonyms: 6 souls (59) work unit (3) workers (5) ... Synonym dictionary

    1) in the statistics of most countries, the economically active population includes the employed and the unemployed; .. 2) a person’s ability to work, i.e. the totality of his physical and mental abilities, required qualifications, skills, experience used ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    WORKER 2, oh, her. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

    work force- — EN labor force Topics environmental protection EN labor force DE Arbeitskräfte FR main d oeuvre … Technical Translator's Handbook

    work force- Part of the country's population with the necessary physical development, knowledge and practical experience to work in the national economy. Syn.: manpower… Geography Dictionary

    1) in modern economic science, the economically active population includes the employed and the unemployed; 2) in Marxist theory, a person’s ability to work, that is, the totality of his physical and mental abilities, the required qualifications, ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

    WORK FORCE- (labour power) 1. General term for employees in an organization. 2. (Marxism) the capacity for labor, which is bought and used by capitalists and from which the capitalist extracts surplus value (see also Labor theory of value) ... Big explanatory sociological dictionary

    Work force- the ability to work, the totality of physical and intellectual abilities that a person has and which are used by him in the production of life's goods. Labor power really exists in the personality of the worker and is the main ... ... Dictionary of Economic Theory

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Organization Theory: Lecture Notes Tyurina Anna

1. The concepts of labor and labor force

Work is the most important quality characteristic of any production process. The quality of manufactured products and, as a result, the demand for it depend on the quality of labor. This is especially important when the firm is non-price competitive. Thus, labor is the determining factor of production, since through it there is a qualitative fusion of the fixed assets of the enterprise (equipment, technologies) and working capital (raw materials, various materials).

Work force- a specific product, a factor of production that is directly involved in the process of creating new goods and services to meet the needs of economic entities. The number of labor force is determined by such concepts as "employment" and "unemployment", and it is they that characterize the economic situation in the country. The labor force is people involved in production, on the one hand, and the totality of human abilities, on the other. The quality of the labor force shows the degree of efficiency of the market economy, how competitive it is in this respect. The labor force at first glance is the number of people who are of working age and able to work. It is also a combination of physical and spiritual abilities of a person. In other words, in order to be considered a worker in a particular field of activity, an individual must have a share of professionalism, diligence and experience, which determines the quality of his work.

To distribute the labor force, there is a labor market where transactions are made between entrepreneurs and employees. One of the forms of such a market is the labor exchange, which distributes all able-bodied subjects of the economy according to its sectors, thereby filling the shortage of workers in organizations and enterprises and increasing the total volume of production. The following conditions for the emergence of the commodity "labor power" can be distinguished:

1) the worker must be a legally free person, i.e., at his own discretion, dispose of his own abilities and use the available opportunities;

2) the worker must be deprived of the means of production, which he can receive only in exchange for the sale of his labor qualities.

The labor force has certain qualities.

1. It forms a single whole with the owner and brings him income.

2. If the work of an employee is not realized for a long time, then its effectiveness decreases over time. Labor is a non-permanent factor of production, since the knowledge, skills, experience and other professional qualities of an employee can be lost. Therefore, in order to carry out effective activities, they must be regularly involved in the production process.

3. The carrier of labor qualities, i.e. the person himself, cannot be an object of sale, such is only his labor as the ability to create material and non-material benefits, various goods, the circulation of which in the market is the basis of the entire economic life of the country.

Thus, in any country, an important problem is the increase in labor resources. To this end, the state, as the highest authority, invests, subsidizes and encourages labor activity.

Increasingly, the term "human capital" is used in science as a set of knowledge, skills and professional experience. This type of capital is associated with the concept of “personnel drain”, i.e., luring valuable specialists to a new place of work with the provision of better working conditions and wages. As a rule, it has an international character.

This text is an introductory piece. From the book Organization Theory: Lecture Notes author Tyurina Anna

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6. Formation of an effective workforce. Staff training and development. Career management An important stage in HR management is the development of personnel, which includes professional orientation and adaptation in the team, as well as training and retraining of personnel. When

From the book Career Manager by Iacocca Lee

7. Maintaining high workforce efficiency. Determination of the personnel remuneration system. Dismissal The next stage of HR management is the assessment of the activities of employees and their results. Performance appraisal is the process of determining how well employees

From the book Human Resources Management: A Study Guide author Spivak Vladimir Alexandrovich

Improving the working atmosphere A pleasant working atmosphere sets you up for a positive result. By themselves, working conditions do not make you work better, but they help to partially get rid of the reasons for dissatisfaction. In order to make the workplace more comfortable,

From the book Rules and taboos of the manager author Vlasova Nelly Makarovna

XXVI. The High Cost of Labor As someone who comes from a family of hardworking immigrant workers, I passionately profess the dignity of work. In my opinion, the time and energy spent by working people should be well paid. Of course, I am not a socialist, but I am a supporter

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5.4. The concepts of rationing and organization of labor, their significance Without norms for the cost of material factors and labor, it is impossible to plan activities, set clear goals, and determine results. Norms of various kinds are standards based on scientific or worldly

From the book Leadership Based on Principles by Covey Steven R

Memorandum of Work Responsibility I, as an employee of the organization, entering into certain relations with it, receive social benefits from the organization, in response to which I assume the following obligations.1. To be active. Give your work, your abilities and talents

From the book The Practice of Human Resource Management author Armstrong Michael

popular definition

concept strength has several meanings. Derived from Latin fortya, it can be used to emphasize the ability or power to generate movement in something or someone that causes resistance or has weight; describe the ability to withstand push; the use of force, whether physical or moral; the natural virtue that things have in themselves; or the most energetic condition anything.

Strength, as we have defined, comes from the Latin word fortia, which is synonymous with the word "strong". Meanwhile, the second word of the term that we are going to analyze, works, has its etymological origin in Latin tripaliare, which came to be used to refer to a three-stick yoke that was used to bind slaves to whom they were going to punish by whipping them.

Work, on the other hand, is a measure of the effort that human does. From point of view economy work is one of the most important factors of production, as well as capital and land. Work can be understood as a productive action carried out by the subject and in exchange for which he receives a reward.

Thus, the concept of labor force is associated with physical and mental abilities of each person to develop a specific task. The expression has been put into action Karl Marx .

For Marxism labor force should be understood as product, cash reward which is determined on the basis of the time required for its production. In this case, it is about establishing how long it will take to produce livelihoods. In short, the cost of labor can be related to how much the consumer goods required by the worker cost or cost.

In this sense, it must be emphasized that it has been established that in capitalism all labor power is directly a commodity. However, for this fact to take place, two elements or fundamental aspects must take place: that the person in question is free to exercise said force, and that there is a need to sell him in order to obtain a livelihood,

These questions and the approaches cited led Karl Marx to establish and demonstrate that there is no equality in a capitalist society, because the bourgeoisie is the one that has seized the various means of production, while the workers do not have the opportunity to own them. Consequently, they see themselves in the current situation and in the need to sell the labor they need to achieve vital livelihoods in order to survive.

This is the circumstance that ultimately leads to the enrichment of those who own these means of production, thanks to the labor and efforts of the workers.

It is interesting to note that marxist theory distinguishes between the labor force and the work itself, since the second is the realization of the potential presented by the first. In other words, work is what is the result of the application of labor power.

  • barista

    The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) does not recognize the concept of a barista. The term, however, is often used to refer to a coffee expert. Baristas specializes in developing coffee-based beverages that combine coffee seeds with liquors, milk and other ingredients. This professional can also devote himself to studying and designing these drinks and even decorating espresso with milk in a discipline known as latte art. The barista can differentiate between different types of coffee to prepare.

    popular definition

  • migration

    Migration occurs when a social group, whether human or animal, moves from its place of origin to another where it believes it will improve their quality of life. This implies the creation of a new life in a different social, political and economic environment and, in the case of animals, in a different habitat that

    popular definition

  • carotene

    It is called carotene to a reddish or yellowish pigment that animals can convert into vitamin A. This chemical compound is present in carrots, egg yolks, tomatoes, butter (butter), and red peppers (peppers, peppers, or chili). Carotene, whose most common structure makes it commonly known as beta-carotene, is part of the terpene family. The Swiss scientist Paul Karrer, Nobel laureate in chemistry, was the first to

    popular definition

  • call

    A challenge is an invitation to mourn, a provocation or challenge. It can be a threat or intimidation: “If you are so sure of what you are saying, I encourage you to go together to ask Michaela what she thinks about this situation”, “He looked him straight in the eyes and exclaimed: in a firm voice: “ I challenge him to a duel: whoever loses will leave the city. In another sense, the concept of challenging is used as a synonym for reprimand or reprimand. Parents often challenge their children or teachers to their students when they do not behave properly: “The task of the math teacher was heard in the

15. What is the labor force.

In order to perform a certain work, a person must have physical and spiritual abilities. The labor force is a combination of physical and spiritual abilities of a person, which are used by him in the process of production of material goods.

The wealth of any society is created by the labor of people, thanks to the functioning of the labor force. But only under conditions of capitalism the ability to work becomes a commodity, the subject of sale.

Why is it so? Let's turn to history.

The slave could not dispose of himself, as he was the property of the slave owner. Such is essentially the position of the serf. He was dependent on the owner of the land - the feudal lord and did not have the right to fully dispose of his labor force.

Can a person sell what does not belong to him?

Clearly not. Anyone who wants to sell his labor power must be a legally free person.

But is this condition sufficient for labor power to become a commodity?

No. And that's why. Small peasant or craftsman work on themselves- produce grain, meat, clothes, shoes, etc. They sell not labor, but products of their labor.

In what case would a peasant or handicraftsman begin to sell not the products of his labor, but his labor power?

Only if he does not have the opportunity to work at home, with the help of their means of production. A peasant or handicraftsman turns into a worker, a proletarian when loses own means of production. Under these conditions, labor power can only be used if it is sold to the owner of the means of production, the capitalist.

The worker sells his labor power of his own free will, since he is the rightful owner of it. In the capitalist world there are no laws obliging workers to hire themselves to a factory owner. But at the same time, the proletarian can't sell his labor power, since he has no other possibilities for existence - he does not have the means of production that would allow him to produce what he needs for life.

So, in order for the labor force became a commodity, two conditions are required:

firstly, the personal freedom of the proletarian;

secondly, the lack of means of production for the small commodity producer, his transformation into a proletarian.

This creates the need to sell labor. The transformation of labor power into a commodity marks the beginning of a new historical era - era of capitalism.

But if labor power is a commodity, then, like any other commodity, it must have both a value and a use value.

How is labor cost determined?

It is known that the value of any commodity is determined by the amount of socially necessary labor time for its production and reproduction. But labor power is no ordinary commodity. She, as we have already said, is a combination of physical and spiritual abilities of a person. If ordinary goods (shoes, fabric, etc.) are created in factories and factories, then the production of labor power is inextricably linked with the reproduction of man - the living carrier of labor power. Both physical and spiritual abilities, without which work is impossible, are inseparable from a person. A person in the process of labor expends his labor power, and in order to be able to work daily, he must day by day restore their physical and spiritual abilities.

By consuming various material goods necessary for life, satisfying his spiritual needs, the worker restores his labor power expended in the labor process, and thus gets the opportunity to work again. That is why it can be said that the value of the commodity, labor power, is essentially the cost of those means of subsistence that are necessary for the life of the bearer of the labor force - a person, in this case a worker who sells his ability to work to the capitalist.

What means of subsistence are needed to maintain, restore and constantly reproduce the labor force? In other words, what is included in the cost of labor?

First, the cost of funds needed to meet the physical needs of the worker. We are talking about food, clothing, housing, etc.

Secondly, the cost of the means needed to satisfy the spiritual needs of the worker. As the saying goes, man does not live by bread alone. Workers read newspapers, books, attend movies, sports, etc.

Thirdly, the cost of the means of training the worker. In order to operate machines and mechanisms, some minimum of technical knowledge is required. That is why the cost of general education and industrial training is included in the cost of labor.

Fourth, the cost of funds needed to support the family. Capitalist production cannot run smoothly unless the ranks of the working class are constantly replenished. Therefore, the cost of the labor force inevitably includes the costs of maintaining a family, raising and educating children - the future labor force.

The volume and composition of the needs of the worker are greatly influenced by the historical and national characteristics of the development of a particular country. There is a great difference between the cost of labor power in England, which for a long time occupied a monopoly position in the capitalist world, and the cost of labor power in economically backward countries, where the standard of living of the people is extremely low. Differences in labor costs may also be due to climatic conditions. For example, in the north, in a harsh, cold climate, a person needs warmer clothes, more high-calorie food, better heated housing, etc.

It should be remembered that human needs depend on many other conditions. These include national customs, traditions that exist in a particular country, among certain peoples.

With the development of human society, human needs expand and change. For example, the needs of the English German or Russian worker in our time are far from what they were, let's say, in the 19th century. The range of human needs has expanded significantly. Take, for example, such household items as televisions, refrigerators, computers, mobile phones, etc., which a person had no idea not only in the 19th century, but some of them even in the 20th century.

But however varied may be the conditions that determine the necessary means of subsistence of man, and however rapidly they may change, nevertheless, for a particular country and for a particular period, the value of labor power is a value more or less constant.

Labor power under capitalism is a commodity, and its price is always subject to fluctuations. As a rule, capitalists buy labor power at a price much less than the cost calculated on the basis of a decent standard of living for modern man. At the same time, labor power is a special commodity. It cannot be put into storage and wait for prices to rise. The worker, who has no other means of subsistence than the sale of labor power, is often forced to accept a price that does not cover the expenses necessary for the normal satisfaction of his needs.

There is, however, lower limit labor cost is the cost of the physical necessities of life, without the consumption of which a person cannot exist and work. The capitalist who buys his labor power from the worker always strives to approach this limit, since it is in this case that he receives the greatest profit. Exactly how, we'll talk about it.

Labor power, like any other commodity, has, in addition to value, a use value. What is it expressed in?

The use-value of many commodities is immediately apparent. For example, boots are needed in order to satisfy a person's need to protect their feet when moving. The use value of shoes is realized in the process of wearing them.

What is the consumption of labor power?

In labor. Labor is the process of spending labor power. But here the peculiarity of the commodity labor power is revealed. Bread, cloth, shoes and other goods disappear and are destroyed in the process of consumption, and the labor force in the process of labor is not only preserved, but also creates new products. This is the peculiarity of the commodity labor power. The most important quality of this product is that in in the process of consumption, he creates more value than he is worth..

The value of labor power, as we have seen, is equal to the value of the worker's means of subsistence - the value of food, clothing, housing, etc. Suppose that the value of the daily livelihood of the worker can be created by 4 hours of labor. The capitalist bought labor power. Thus he acquired the right to dispose of its use-value. Therefore, the capitalist can force the worker to work not 4 hours, but more, for example 6, 7, 8, 10 or even 12 hours. But the worker for the first 4 hours of work already created a value equal to the value of his labor power, that is, he actually returned to the capitalist what he spent on its purchase. But the worker does not stop working, he works further as long as the capitalist says, for each next hour of his work he also creates value. It is this surplus, this surplus of value created by the worker's labor over and above the value of his labor power, that is surplus value .

The ability to create surplus value is the use value of the commodity labor power. This is what the capitalist is interested in. If labor power did not have this capacity, the capitalist would not buy it.

Having discovered the difference between the value of labor power and the value that is created by the labor of the worker, Marx unraveled the mystery of the emergence of surplus value, scientifically, irrefutably proved that how the capitalist class lives and enriches itself. The source of surplus value is the labor of workers, the results of which gratuitously appropriated by the capitalists.

Now it becomes clear how the contradictions of the general formula of capital are resolved under the conditions of the capitalist mode of production. Surplus value cannot arise without circulation, since not somewhere, but on the market, the capitalist purchases labor power, an act of purchase and sale is performed: M - T.

But, on the other hand, surplus value is created not in the process of circulation, but in the field of production, since the proletarian, by his labor, creates, in addition to the value of his labor power, surplus value. The capitalist, having sold the goods produced by the workers in his factory, realizes this surplus value and thereby receives a large amount of money: M + d or D'.

We now come to the question of how surplus value is created.