Capitalists maintain and increase their wealth by using M-C-M. One should know that the terms Commodity ( C ) and Money ( M ) are M-C-M which is a process where M stands for the transformation of money, C stands for the transformation into commodities and lastly, the second M defines the change of commodities back into money which is then the changed value. M’ is more significant than just M independently. M’ is defined as M plus m, where m is typically called the gain or profit, which is referred to as surplus value. Wealthy people remain wealthy as a class because of the way money is transformed into capital. Thus, surplus value capitalists can not survive without making their interests to seek to increase it by either playing on relative or absolute surplus value which is how they remain wealthy as a class.
Reading 5.1 and Discussion 5.2
Explain M-C-M’ to show how capitalists maintain and increase their wealth.
In Pierre Jalee’s “How Capitalism Works” M (Money) -C (Commodity)-M (Money), he states “the formula M-C-M must thus be regarded as the general formula of capital.” M-C-M is a cycle where money is needed to by commodity to establish more money. An example of M-C-M are those who own multiple homes as an investments and rent them out for more than what the monthly mortgage is asking to make a larger profit. The last M in M-C-M is the excess profit and is the surplus value that capitalist make, it is of greater value the M. The capitalist buys the labor power from the worker at its value and pays the worker a wage. The capitalist sells the goods produced by the labor for more than its original value. The worker who has to work longer hours to “create a value equal to that of his or her daily requirement”, makes value for themselves and then a surplus value for the capitalist.
Discussion 5.2
I understand that one is to sell in order to buy and one is to buy in order to sell. Also the M-is the money if they could not resell the product the capitalist would not accept it. The greater M is referred to as the surplus value because the consumer will buy the product and sell it at a lower cost. M is called the grain or profit which is referred to as surplus value.
Tristan Flinn 5.2
- You have an amount of money you started with, that M comes first, then you have C, commodity, which is used in production. M again comes at the end and basically signifies that while you are making things, you attempt to keep the same level of money. Basically, they start with a certain amount, they then produce products, or invest in something and then get that money back, basically profit so much from it that it doesn’t take away from what you started at.
Discussion Board 5.2
- As we learned thus far, the capitalist class consists of people who own wealth, as well as the means of production in American society. An important question in understanding how this class works is to ask: how does a capitalist remain wealthy? The answer to this question depends largely on understanding the diagram M-C-M’. So, let’s practice by explaining what happens in this diagram in our own words (but basing our ideas on Reading 5.1). Respond to the following question: Explain M-C-M’ to show how capitalists maintain and increase their wealth. (hint: your answer should weave a summary that includes what you reviewed in the self-assessment exercise question 1-7)