The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-21
Karl Marx on Fordism

required by the worker Ford pays all his
workers at least four dollars, that we know.
Socially speaking then we come to this: that four
dollars. represents in money the social VALUE
of the labor power given by the worker. Ford in
paying his workers more than four dollars, pays
them at least the VALUE of their labor power
And yet he makes a profit, and big one at that.
How does this happen?
Labor Power Has Special Quality.
T EFT us. compare labor power, as a commodity,
II with all other commodities. What is there
about 1t that is different? A pound of sugar, for
example is commodity. But, until it is bought
and eaten, 1t continues to be mere pound of
sugar After it is eaten, 1t ceases, of course to
be a commodity.
But what about labor power? Labor power is
good only when it is at work When it works,
er applies his labor power in turning screw
IT CREATES SOMETHING. When Ford work
on motor as It comes along on conveyor
he has changed something, he has contributed
his share towards the CREATION of a complete
motor. The motor, complete and assembled has
more value, is worth more on the market than
it was when 1t was mere pig iron or a bunch of
parts. 1t is obvious then that labor power as
commodity, has something that other commodities
lack 1t has the power to create additional
value.
NOW, armed with this wonder working com
~ modify, the Ford worker enters the factory
under contract to the management. What does
this contract say? 1t says that the worker will
devote eight hours of his time applying his labor
power in the production of Ford cars adding as
We have seen, new value to the particular part
Of the machine that comes to his hand. With
every operation he makes the part that comes
along to him on the conveyor more valuable than
it before 1t got to him.
And for these hours of VALUE CREATING
work, Ford pays him at least four dollars which
we decided was the amount he required to exist
on, or the VALUE Of the labor power he sold to
Ford. The worker has no kick coming He is
getting full value for his work But how does
Ford make his profit If he pays the worker the
VALUE of his labor power?
Four Hours For Me- Hours for Henrv.
IETELL it so happens that the worker, going into
w the Ford plant with all the efficiency devices
with which he has to work can in eight hours
work, produce much more than the mere four
dollars that he requires to live on. He can pro
duce much more than the six dollars that Ford
actually pays him. Let us assume that in four
hours Of work. the labor power of the worker
adds to the Ford car in process of production
six dollars. That is the value of the labor power
that Henry bought from him. But when his four
hours work Is over, he doesn't wash up and go
home. Oh No! Henry has hired him for eight
and eight he works. 1t stands to reason that
in eight hours, the worker would produce at least
twelve dollars in value, that the value creating
labor power he gives to the commodity Ford au-
tomobile, is represented by twelve dollars That's
where the profit comes in That's why Henry
can have bank balance of tens of millions of
dollars That's why Henry can build new plants
Continued tomorrow