Overproduction - Summary

Overproduction

Summary

• Overproduction is a feature of all societies other than the most primitive.
• It simply means that the producers produce more than is required to reproduce their own labour-power.
• Overproduction is a fundamental requirement for society to increase the range of use values available for consumption, as it means that some producers can be released from producing the existing range of use values, so as to produce others, whilst their needs for the existing range of use values can be met out of the overproduction of other members of society.
• It is, thereby, also a fundamental requirement for societies to be able to produce additional means of production, because it means that some producers can produce these means of production, whilst their needs for items of consumption are met out of the overproduction of other producers.
• Overproduction is also a fundamental requirement for society to be able to release some of its members from productive activity, into other activities, such as science, which is required for further development of society's productive capacity.
• Similarly, class society could not exist without overproduction, because exploiting classes require that the producers overproduce so that this surplus product can be appropriated.
• All societies must overproduce, because without the overproduction they could not supply the goods and services required by the natural expansion of the population.
• In all other modes of production, overproduction is seen as a boon. Under commodity production, the potential for an unplanned overproduction of commodities arises, which can create a crisis for the individual producer. It is only under capitalism that overproduction can become a cause of crises for society.

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