Use‐Value

Abstract

Marx begins Capital with an analysis of the use‐value of the commodity, suggesting, perhaps, that all useful concrete things have use‐values – but that is incorrect and the distinction, fine as it might seem, between the utility of a thing and the use‐value of a commodity is important. First, not every useful thing is a commodity, although every commodity, except one, is a useful thing. There are many things in the world around us – some may have no apparent use and others have known utility. As a thing – of utility or non‐utility – it is a concrete object with qualitatively distinct, physical properties; it is part of the natural order; it may have uses but it does not have use‐value. Use‐value inheres only in a commodity and the difference between utility and use‐value indicates the significant social dimension of a commodity.