Summary

"M" represents money or capital, which is the starting point for capitalists. They possess wealth that they are willing to invest in the production process. "C" stands for commodities, which are goods or services produced through the investment of money. This includes the means of production (factories, machinery, etc.) and labor power (the workforce) that the capitalist class owns and utilizes. The prime symbol (') signifies an increase in the amount of money compared to the initial investment. In other words, the capitalist aims to sell the commodities produced (C) at a higher price than the cost of production, including expenses such as wages and materials. The difference between the selling price and the cost of production represents profit, denoted as M'. So, the process of M-C-M' illustrates how capitalists maintain and increase their wealth. They start with money (M), invest it in the production process to create commodities (C), and then sell those commodities at a profit (M'). This profit is derived from the surplus value extracted from the labor of workers, allowing capitalists to accumulate wealth and perpetuate their position within the capitalist class.