--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What the working man sells is not…" description: "\"What the working man sells is not directly his Labor, but his Laboring Power, the temporary disposal of which he makes over to the capitalist. This is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/karl-marx-399_capitalist_what-the-working-man-sells-is-not-direct_167620.jpg" --- # What the working man sells is not directly his Labor, but… ![“What the working man sells is not directly his Labor, but his Laboring Power, the temporary disposal of which he makes over to the capitalist. This is so much the case that I do not know whether by the English Law, but certainly by some Continental Laws, the maximum time is fixed for which a man…” quote by Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/karl-marx-399_capitalist_what-the-working-man-sells-is-not-direct_167620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/karl-marx-399_capitalist_what-the-working-man-sells-is-not-direct_167620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/karl-marx-399_capitalist_what-the-working-man-sells-is-not-direct_167620.jpg) > “What the working man sells is not directly his Labor, but his Laboring Power, the temporary disposal of which he makes over to the capitalist. This is so much the case that I do not know whether by the English Law, but certainly by some Continental Laws, the maximum time is fixed for which a man is allowed to sell his laboring power. If allowed to do so for any indefinite period whatever, slavery would be immediately restored. Such a sale, if it comprised his lifetime, for example, would make him at once the lifelong slave of his employer.” [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labor power is a commodity sold temporarily to capitalists; unlimited sale would equate to slavery. **In simple terms:** Selling work ability, not the work itself. Key Takeaway Limit the duration of labor contracts. Themes labor capitalism exploitation rights law Mood critical concerned Type economic political When to use this quote - temporary employment - gig economy - contract negotiations - legal reforms - worker protections Key Concepts commodity theory contract law human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can law protect workers from indefinite contracts? - What limits should be set on selling labor power? A Different Perspective If contracts are indefinite, workers may become de facto slaves. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowed Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-sell-1822757/) [Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Directly Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directly-labor-1822754/) [Employers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employers/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Laboring Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laboring-power-1822755/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lifelong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifelong/) [Lifelong Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifelong-slave-1822756/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Maximum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maximum/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Sell Laboring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell-laboring-1822753/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Working man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-man/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [The working men have no country. 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