The
working-day in every society divides into necessary labour and
surplus labour.
The
period of necessary labour determines the minimum length of working
day. It is the period required to reproduce all those products
required for the reproduction of the labourers.
The
length of working-day in excess of the necessary labour determines
the amount of surplus labour.
The
duration of the maximum working day is also objectively constrained.
There are only 24 hours in a day; the labourers need to eat, sleep
and procreate to reproduce their labour-power; beyond certain limits
the quality of the labour performed deteriorates, the labourers
themselves are worn out more quickly, or need more food etc. to
reproduce their labour-power.
Every
ruling class performs a useful historical function by making the
labourers perform surplus labour, which provides the basis for the
accumulation and development of the productive forces.
Capitalism
provides the greatest historical role in this respect, because it is
founded upon the need, driven by competition, to accumulate capital,
and to constantly revolutionise the means of production.
It aims
to maximise the surplus labour, and to do this it is increasingly
driven not to maximise the length of working day (absolute surplus
value), but to reduce the extent of necessary labour (relative
surplus value).
No comments:
Post a Comment