5 The Universal and the Particulars in Hegel’s Logic and Marx’s Capital

Abstract

This chapter argues that the logical structure of the two levels of abstraction of capital in general and competition was heavily influenced by Hegel's Logic of the Concept, and the first two moments of the Concept: universality and particularity. It reviews the key features of Hegel's Logic of the Concept, and discusses Marx's critical appropriation of Hegel's logic in his own theory of the production and distribution of surplus-value. The chapter also suggests answers to these questions: What exactly did Marx mean by this obviously important but too cryptic remark? Which specific aspects of Hegel's Logic was Marx referring to? And what was the relation between these aspects of Hegel's logic and Marx's theory of profit? It explains what Marx meant by this important remark. Marx's general form of surplus-value was patterned after Hegel's universality, and Marx's particular forms of surplus-value were patterned after Hegel's particularity. Keywords: Hegel's Logic; Hegel's universality; Marx; surplus-value