Labour power (German: Arbeitskraft; French: force de travail) is the capacity to work, a key concept used by Karl Marx in his critique of capitalist political economy. Marx distinguished between the capacity to do the work, i.e. labour power, and the …

LABOR-POWER (Marx) : the abstraction of human labor into something that can be exchanged for money. The relation of labor-power to the actual labor of a private individual is analogous the relation of exchange-value to use-value .

Labor power differs from these other powers in that it not only expends itself but expends itself intelligently and directs, controls and uses these other power expressions. The brain of the worker, as well as his arms and legs, is a factor of his labor power.

By labour-power or capacity for labour is to be understood the aggregate of those mental and physical capabilities existing in a human being, which he exercises whenever he produces a use-value of any description.

Since 1859, the Marxian concept of labor productive of value has presented three well-defined characteristics: it is simple labor, social labor, and general abstract labor.

Apr 12, 2025 · "labour power" published on by null. Is a term coined by Karl Marx in Capital and refers to the capacity of workers to work. Marx held that when employers hired workers in the labour market they were effectively buying this capacity to work rather than work itself.

Labor power is what a worker sells to an employer. The employer "consumes" the purchased labor power by setting its owner - the worker - to perform the laboring activity (to do labor) alongside/with tools, equipment, and raw materials.

Marx goes on to define labour power as “the aggregate of those bodily and mental capabilities existing in a human being, which he exercises whenever he produces a use-value of any kind.” Labour power is of course the property of individual workers.

Jul 26, 2024 · Unlike mere physical labor, labour power encompasses the mental, emotional, and physical capabilities of individuals to produce goods and services. This article aims to dissect the notion of labour power, examining its origins, implications, and relevance in contemporary society.

Labor power, as conceptualized in economic theory, is the capacity of workers to perform work that produces value. It is a pivotal concept that underpins various economic systems, particularly capitalism, where labor power is commodified and traded in the labor market.