By Roberto Viera
 frvieral@yahoo.com

K. Marx, in commodity analysis respect to productive process, hangs on D. Ricardo jacket, who was stock exchange gambler. D. Ricardo defines commodity exchange value thus:

“The value of a commodity, or the quantity of any other commodity for which it will exchange, depends on the relative quantity of labour which is necessary for its production, and not on the greater or less compensation which is paid for that labour”. On The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, London: John Murray, Albemarle-Street, by David Ricardo, 1817, (third edition 1821)

In this definition D. Ricardo disconnect commodity value from that is paid to worker, that is to say, commodity value does not depend on the greater or less compensation which is paid for that labor, according to Ricardo. This sentence typify more a slavery type society that a mercantile society. For to check how far out is from reality, is sufficient to refer to some events known for any person who is related to manufacturing.

Stint work implicates dependence of wage from value quantity created for worker

When a commodity is sold in function of his production cost, his value depends on wage paid to worker.

In the same production center, wages can to fluctuate till 20 to 1 times, and entrepreneurs are not characterized for give away wage.

But the meant of Ricardo speech is referred to capitalists’ wishes that people work only for necessaries and don’t touch “his revenues”. Also, this can be understanded as a despotic way to fall of workers auto esteem and to block capacity of negotiation. This statement represents ideology of financier capital that doesn’t dirty his hands with “production”. This concept was applied by Ricardo in British parliament to fight against some persons that propose a tax to steam looms cui fund would went for unemployed weavers. Also Ricardo advocate against a law that destine funds to educate worker’s sons.

K. Marx writes in Capital, in long texts, some times in mockery, other times in fun, only for to tell that wage depends on necessaries and not on value produced, that is, repeat Ricardo’s definition.

Ricardo’s definition is also negative is we consider that talent is distributed randomly in population, and workers are more numerous. This is that don’t pay workers in relation with job’s produce or value created by them, his creativity is blocked. When this definition is decanted in prejudices, actuates against innovations.

No retribution of workers and consequent blockade of innovations, also would explicate socialist countries deplorable productive performance, guided for marxist ideology. China, Cuba, Vietnam, socialist Marxist Leninist countries in this moment serve as cheap man power suppliers to big American corporations, after of to destroy his country proper industries. Marxist Leninist governing destroy wage structure in countries, according to they, capitalism (and transition step to socialism) functions paying to workers alimony and necessaries and not according to work value created in productive process. In this form Marxists wreck productive body