--- title: "9 Labor Power Quotes by 9 authors" description: "Browse 9 Labor Power quotes by 9 authors. Discover the best Labor Power sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg" --- > [Workers do not strike every day, they cannot do that the way they function in the capitalist economy. The way they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-mandel/workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-cannot-do-that-the-way-they/) [Ernest Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-mandel/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg) > [Well I think all I would say on that is, when we were in opposition in Britain and Hawke and then Keating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hewitt/well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is-when-we-were-in-opposition-in/) [Patricia Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-hewitt/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/patricia-hewitt-25261_amount_well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is_1551984.png) > [“Capitalism is marked by a division between classes, with one class holding private ownership of the means of production, and another class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-between-classes-with-one-class/) [Bob Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-torres/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/bob-torres-29260_economics_capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-betwe_185368.jpg) > [But even in the absence of direct interference by those who had the power to interfere, the process was usually aborted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interference-by-those-who-had-the/) [Immanuel Wallerstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-wallerstein/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_absence_but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interf_1427366.jpg) > [“The American system is the most ingenious system of control in world history. With a country so rich in natural resources, talent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-american-system-is-the-most-ingenious-system-of-control-in-world/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/howard-zinn-576_democracy_the-american-system-is-the-most-ingeniou_1090665.jpg) > [“...To allow the market mechanism to be sole director of the fate of human beings and their natural environment, indeed, even of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-polanyi/to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole-director-of-the-fate-of/) [Karl Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-polanyi/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/karl-polanyi-40143_investing_to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole_2872778.jpg) > [“The issue here turned on the work content of a day's labor power, which Taylor defines in the phrase "a fair day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-braverman/the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-content-of-a-day-s-labor-power/) [Harry Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-braverman/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/harry-braverman-190852_happiness_the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-conten_1768328.jpg) > [“The dominance of wealth, or the particular capitalistic régime under which the great masses of the people are possessed of little but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-casper-husslein/the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particular-capitalistic-r-gime-under/) [Joseph Casper Husslein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-casper-husslein/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/joseph-casper-husslein-36989_quote_the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particula_321341.jpg) > [“The owner of the means of production is in a position to purchase the labor power of the worker. By using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is-in-a-position-to-purchase-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/albert-einstein-33_capitalism_the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is_374253.jpg) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-power/#itemlist", "name": "Labor Power Quotes", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Workers do not strike every day, they cannot do that the way they function in the capitalist economy. The way they have to live by selling their labor power makes that impossible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Mandel" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-mandel/workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-cannot-do-that-the-way-they/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Workers do not strike every day, they cannot do that the way they function in the capitalist economy. The…” — Ernest Mandel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well I think all I would say on that is, when we were in opposition in Britain and Hawke and then Keating were in power here, Labor was in power here, we learnt a huge amount from the ALP's experience here.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patricia Hewitt" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hewitt/well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is-when-we-were-in-opposition-in/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/patricia-hewitt-25261_amount_well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is_1551984.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/patricia-hewitt-25261_amount_well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is_1551984.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/patricia-hewitt-25261_amount_well-i-think-all-i-would-say-on-that-is_1551984.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well I think all I would say on that is, when we were in opposition in Britain and Hawke and then Keating…” — Patricia Hewitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Capitalism is marked by a division between classes, with one class holding private ownership of the means of production, and another class forced to sell their labor to live. Through the use of workers’ labor power, the owners of the means of production—the bourgeoisie—extract value in production, paying workers less than the actual value they are producing.This basic class division is essential for capital; without the labor power that adds value to commodities, the owner class would be unable to leverage and expand their own worth.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Torres" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-between-classes-with-one-class/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/bob-torres-29260_economics_capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-betwe_185368.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/bob-torres-29260_economics_capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-betwe_185368.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/bob-torres-29260_economics_capitalism-is-marked-by-a-division-betwe_185368.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Capitalism is marked by a division between classes, with one class holding private ownership of the means of…” — Bob Torres", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But even in the absence of direct interference by those who had the power to interfere, the process was usually aborted by the non-availability of one of more elements of the process - the accumulated stock in a money form, the labor-power to be utilized by the producer, the network of distributors, the consumers who were purchasers. One or more elements were missing because, in previous historical social systems, one or more of these elements was not commodified or was insufficiently commodified.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Immanuel Wallerstein" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-wallerstein/but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interference-by-those-who-had-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_absence_but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interf_1427366.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_absence_but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interf_1427366.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/immanuel-wallerstein-11305_absence_but-even-in-the-absence-of-direct-interf_1427366.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But even in the absence of direct interference by those who had the power to interfere, the process was…” — Immanuel Wallerstein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The American system is the most ingenious system of control in world history. With a country so rich in natural resources, talent, and labor power the system can afford to distribute just enough wealth to just enough people to limit discontent to a troublesome minority. It is a country so powerful, so big, so pleasing to so many of its citizens that it can afford to give freedom of dissent to the small number who are not pleased. There is no system of control with more openings, apertures, leeways, flexibilities, rewards for the chosen, winning tickets in lotteries. There is none that disperses its controls more complexly through the voting system, the work situation, the church, the family, the school, the mass media--none more successful in mollifying opposition with reforms, isolating people from one another, creating patriotic loyalty.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard Zinn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-american-system-is-the-most-ingenious-system-of-control-in-world/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/howard-zinn-576_democracy_the-american-system-is-the-most-ingeniou_1090665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/howard-zinn-576_democracy_the-american-system-is-the-most-ingeniou_1090665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/howard-zinn-576_democracy_the-american-system-is-the-most-ingeniou_1090665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The American system is the most ingenious system of control in world history. With a country so rich in…” — Howard Zinn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...To allow the market mechanism to be sole director of the fate of human beings and their natural environment, indeed, even of the amount and use of purchasing power, would result in the demolition of society. For the alleged commodity, \"labor power\" cannot be shoved about, used indiscriminately, or even left unused, without affecting the human individual who happens to be the bearer of this peculiar commodity. In disposing of a man's labor power the system would, incidentally, dispose of the physical, psychological, and moral entity of \"man\" attached to the tag. Robbed of the protective covering of cultural institutions, human beings would perish from the the effects of social exposure; they would die as the victims of acute social dislocation through vice, perversion, crime, and starvation. Nature would be reduced to its elements, neighborhoods and landscapes defiled, rovers polluted, military safety jeopardized, the power to produce food and raw materials destroyed...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Polanyi" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-polanyi/to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole-director-of-the-fate-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/karl-polanyi-40143_investing_to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole_2872778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/karl-polanyi-40143_investing_to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole_2872778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/karl-polanyi-40143_investing_to-allow-the-market-mechanism-to-be-sole_2872778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...To allow the market mechanism to be sole director of the fate of human beings and their natural…” — Karl Polanyi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The issue here turned on the work content of a day's labor power, which Taylor defines in the phrase \"a fair day's work.\" To this term he gave a crude physiological interpretation: all the work a worker can do without injury to his health, at a pace that can be sustained throughout a working lifetime. (In practice, he tended to define this level of activity at an extreme limit, choosing a pace that only a few could maintain, and then only under strain.) Why a \"fair day's work\" should be defined as a physiological maximum is never made clear. In attempting to give concrete meaning to the abstraction \"fairness,\" it would make just as much if not more sense to express a fair day's work as the amount of labor necessary to add to the product a value equal to the worker's pay; under such conditions, of course, profit would be impossible. The phrase \"a fair day's work\" must therefore be regarded as inherently meaningless, and filled with such content as the adversaries in the purchase-sale relationship try to give it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Braverman" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-braverman/the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-content-of-a-day-s-labor-power/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/harry-braverman-190852_happiness_the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-conten_1768328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/harry-braverman-190852_happiness_the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-conten_1768328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/harry-braverman-190852_happiness_the-issue-here-turned-on-the-work-conten_1768328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The issue here turned on the work content of a day's labor power, which Taylor defines in the phrase \"a fair…” — Harry Braverman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The dominance of wealth, or the particular capitalistic régime under which the great masses of the people are possessed of little but their labor power, while the ownership of the instruments of production is concentrated in the hands of a few powerful employers, is known as the \"Servile State.\" There can be no industrial peace where such conditions exist, no matter how wages may increase and hours of labor be shortened. democratic forms of government are in themselves no solution. \"While the Constitution had taken on increasingly democratic forms,\" wrote Cardinal Bourne in reference to England, \"the reality underlying these forms had been increasingly plutocratic. Legislation under the guise of 'social reform' tended to mark off all wage-earners as a definitely servile class.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Casper Husslein" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-casper-husslein/the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particular-capitalistic-r-gime-under/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/joseph-casper-husslein-36989_quote_the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particula_321341.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/joseph-casper-husslein-36989_quote_the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particula_321341.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/joseph-casper-husslein-36989_quote_the-dominance-of-wealth-or-the-particula_321341.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The dominance of wealth, or the particular capitalistic régime under which the great masses of the people…” — Joseph Casper Husslein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The owner of the means of production is in a position to purchase the labor power of the worker. By using the means of production, the worker produces new goods which become the property of the capitalist. The essential point about this process is the relation between what the worker produces and what he is paid, both measured in terms of real value. Insofar as the labor contract is \"free,\" what the worker receives is determined not by the real value of the goods he produces, but by his minimum needs and by the capitalists' requirements for labor power in relation to the number of workers competing for jobs. It is important to understand that even in theory the payment of the worker is not determined by the value of his product.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Einstein" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is-in-a-position-to-purchase-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/albert-einstein-33_capitalism_the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is_374253.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/albert-einstein-33_capitalism_the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is_374253.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/albert-einstein-33_capitalism_the-owner-of-the-means-of-production-is_374253.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The owner of the means of production is in a position to purchase the labor power of the worker. By using…” — Albert Einstein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-power/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-power/", "name": "Labor Power Quotes", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-power/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ernest-mandel-20715_capitalist_workers-do-not-strike-every-day-they-can_2996556.jpg" }, "description": "Browse 9 Labor Power quotes by 9 authors. 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