Articles Quote by Karl Marx
““In proportion as the bourgeoisie, i.e., capital, is developed, in the same proportion is the proletariat, the modern working class, developed—a class of labourers, who live only so long as they find work, and who find work only so long as their labour increases capital. These labourers, who must sell themselves piece-meal, are a commodity, like every other article of commerce, and are consequently exposed to all the vicissitudes of competition, to all the fluctuations of the market.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Das Kapital, Volume I, 1867
Marx argues that as capital grows, the working class expands and becomes more vulnerable, treated as a commodity subject to market forces.
In simple terms: Capital growth makes workers more like market commodities.
Key Takeaway
Recognize labor's commodification and seek systemic change.
Themes
class struggle
capitalism
labor
economics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
economic
When to use this quote
- employment
- gig economy
- industrial labor
- wage negotiations
Key Concepts
commodity theory
alienation
market dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does modern gig work reflect this analysis?
- What structures can protect workers from commodification?
A Different Perspective
Workers' power is limited without collective organization.
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