Definition
Labor power refers to the capacity of a human being to perform work, i.e., to exert physical and mental effort in the production of goods and services. In the context of Marxist economic theory, it is distinguished from labor itself: labor power is the potential to work that a worker sells to an employer in exchange for wages, while labor is the actual activity performed.
Overview
The concept of labor power is central to the critique of capitalist production developed by Karl Marx. According to Marx, the capitalist mode of production is based on the purchase of labor power as a commodity. The value of labor power is determined by the socially necessary labor time required to reproduce the worker’s means of subsistence (food, shelter, clothing, education, etc.). When a worker applies labor power on the production process, the value created can exceed the value of the labor power purchased; the surplus value generated is appropriated by the capitalist as profit. This relationship underlies Marx’s theory of exploitation.
Labor power is treated as a commodity because it can be bought and sold on the market. However, unlike typical commodities, it embodies human capacities and is inseparable from the living individual who supplies it. The distinction between labor power and labor is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of wage labor, class relations, and the generation of profit in capitalist economies.
Etymology / Origin
The term “labor power” originates from the German “Arbeitskraft,” used by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid‑19th century. It was translated into English as “labor power” in early editions of Das Kapital (1867). The word “labor” derives from the Latin labor (toil, exertion), while “power” comes from the Latin potere (to be able). The compound thus literally conveys “the ability to work.”
Characteristics
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Commodity Status | In Marxist analysis, labor power is bought and sold like any other commodity on the labor market. |
| Value Determination | Its exchange value equals the cost of the goods and services necessary for the worker’s reproduction (the “socially necessary labor time”). |
| Dual Nature | It has a use‑value (the capacity to perform work) and an exchange‑value (the wage paid for it). |
| Temporal Aspect | Labor power is supplied over a period of time (e.g., an eight‑hour workday), whereas labor is the actual work performed during that period. |
| Relation to Surplus Value | When the labor performed exceeds the value of labor power, the excess (surplus value) becomes the source of capitalist profit. |
| Legal and Institutional Context | Governed by labor contracts, employment law, and collective bargaining, which define the terms of purchase, working hours, and remuneration. |
Related Topics
- Labor (Marxist Theory) – The actual work performed by a worker, distinct from labor power.
- Surplus Value – The value produced by labor beyond the cost of labor power, appropriated by capitalists.
- Commodity Fetishism – The perception of commodities (including labor power) as having intrinsic value independent of social relations.
- Wage Labour – The system wherein workers sell their labor power for wages.
- Exploitation (Marxism) – The process by which capitalists extract surplus value from workers.
- Means of Production – The tools, facilities, and inputs used in producing goods, contrasted with labor power.
- Labor Theory of Value – The theory that the value of a commodity is determined by the socially necessary labor time required for its production.
Note: The description above reflects established scholarly interpretations of “labor power” as a term in Marxist economic thought.