Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Part I The Development of the Capitalist Mode of Production
- 1 Absolute and Relative Surplus Value in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 10 and 12
- 2 Cooperation and the Division of Labour in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 13–14
- 3 Machinery and Modern Industry in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 15
- 4 Primitive Accumulation in Capital, Vol. I, Part VIII, Ch. 26–33
- Part II The Capitalist Mode of Production
- Part III The Underdevelopment of the Capitalist Mode of Production
- Part IV The Value Theory of Labour
- Conclusion
- Appendix: On Social Classes
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - Cooperation and the Division of Labour in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 13–14
from Part I - The Development of the Capitalist Mode of Production
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Part I The Development of the Capitalist Mode of Production
- 1 Absolute and Relative Surplus Value in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 10 and 12
- 2 Cooperation and the Division of Labour in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 13–14
- 3 Machinery and Modern Industry in Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 15
- 4 Primitive Accumulation in Capital, Vol. I, Part VIII, Ch. 26–33
- Part II The Capitalist Mode of Production
- Part III The Underdevelopment of the Capitalist Mode of Production
- Part IV The Value Theory of Labour
- Conclusion
- Appendix: On Social Classes
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
In this chapter we will look at two topics which at first sight seem to be quite different from, or even opposed to, one another: cooperation, i.e. the coming together of labour in the work place, and the division of labour, i.e. the separation of the various parts of the labour process into its constituent parts. However, in so far as manufacturing industry is concerned, Marx argues that these two processes are really just two sides of the same coin, and in fact, Marx actually defines manufacturing as cooperation based on the division of labour (1974a, 343 [1976, 485]).
In Chapter 13, Marx looks at various types of simple cooperation which do not involve a sophisticated division of labour; for example, when everyone helps to harvest a crop or dig a canal. This type of cooperation is necessary because there are certain things that one cannot usually do by oneself (such as lift a heavy rock, or tie a ribbon on a cake box). If one man can dig a canal or build the Great Wall of China in 14,000 years, 14,000 men can do this same thing in one year.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- A Guide to Marx's 'Capital' Vols I-III , pp. 23 - 26Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2012