Tairako REIFICATIONTHINGIFICATIONALIENATION 2018

REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION — BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S
CRITIQUE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND PRACTICAL MATERIALSM —

Author(s): Tomonaga Tairako
Source: Hitotsubashi Journal of Social Studies , January 2018, Vol. 49, No. 1 (January
2018), pp. 1-28
Published by: Hitotsubashi University
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44594760
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Hitotsubashi Journal of Social Studies 49 (2018), pp. 1-28. © Hitotsubashi University
REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION
- BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S CRITIQUE OF

POLITICAL ECONOMY AND PRACTICAL MATERIALSM -
Tomonaga Tairako*
Marxist scholars and researchers of the last half of the twentieth century failed to develop
Marx's theory of alienation to go beyond achievements of the 1960s. Althusser played an
important role in discrediting Marx's concept of alienation as presupposing humanistic
essentialism and at the same time contaminated with Hegelian idealism, which had profoundly
influenced the young Marx. According to Althusser, giving up the concept of alienation is a
necessary step towards the scientific Marx that culminates in Capital.
Since the 1970s, the dominance of "postmodern" thinking had almost completely swept
away any sincere attempts to deal with Marx's concept of alienation in a philosophical and
scientific way. Under the sway of postmodernism, any serious philosophical projects to
introduce the subject (or subject-object relations) as a key concept for comprehending human
society and history were simply ignored or treated as contaminated with an obsolete "modern"
way of thinking. In Japan, Wataru Hiromatsu, much influenced by Althusser, criticized the idea
of alienation in the young Marx and characterized the development of Marx's thoughts as a
transformation from the theory of alienation to that of reification. With this transformation
hypothesis, he contributed to the propagation of the interpretation among Marxist scholars that
the theory of alienation and that of reification are incompatible.
This paper is based upon the paper: Versachlichung and Verdinglichung - Basic
Categories of Marx's Theory of Reification and Their Logical Construction, published in
Hitotsubashi Journal of Social Studies , Vol. 48-1 (Tairako 2017), and its further development.
This paper presupposes the conceptual difference between Versachlichung (reification) and
Verdinglichung (thingification) in detail considered in the previous paper. We will introduce the
definition of reification and thingification before examining the relation of alienation to
reification and thingification.
The capitalist commodity society is characterized by the uniquely (indirectly) social
character of private labor that, although workers are totally dependent on each other, they are
deprived of socialness. In this society, the social relations of private workers to each other do
not appear as social relations in the dimension of labor but assume a converted [verkehrt] form
of appearance as the social relations of things (Sachen) to each other. Thus, the conversion
[Verkehrung] of social relations of persons to persons into social relations of things (Sachen) to
things can be defined as reification (Versachlichung); this means a process that, in the
dimension of social relations, switches from a person to a thing. Through this switch,
furthermore, the social character of private labor appears as a socio-natural property
(gesellschaftliche Natureigenschaft) inherent in a commodity as a thing (Ding). The commodity
phenomenally appears to inherently acquire this natural property even outside the social
* Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo

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2 HiTOTSUBASHi journal of social studies [January
relations of things (Sachen) to each other. The conversion

into social natural properties of things (Dinge) and the fol
mystification of social relations can be defined as thingifi
distinguishes from Versachlichung as the first stage of th
4).
Marx's theory of reification and thingification consists of the following three logical stages:
(1) the conversion of relations between persons into those of Sachen (reification); (2) the
conversion of reified relations of Sachen into the socio-natural properties of Dinge (thingificati-
on); and finally (3) the conversion of production relations among persons into the reified-
thingified relations of things (Sachen-Dinge) that embody socio-natural properties (reification-
thingification) (Tairako 2017: 5).
Reification signifies the phenomenal conversion of production relations among persons into
those of things (Sachen) to each other. The reification of persons (or subjects) implies the
personification (or subjectification) of things (or objects) and vice versa. To express this two-
fold conversion, Marx generally mentions reification and personification in pairs (Tairako 2017:
5).
On the other hand, what distinguishes thingification from reification consists in 'the
immediate coalescence of the material relations of production with their historical and social
specificity' (MEGA II/4.2: 852, MEW 25: 838). In the mentioned passage, Marx treats the so-
called economic trinity, according to which capital, ground, and labor automatically bear
respectively interest, ground rent, and wages. Here, 'the material relations of production' refers
to the technical functional relations of material elements constituting the production process
such as ground, the means of production and labor to each other while 'their historical and
social specificity' refers to specific social determinations such as ground rent, profit (interest),
and the wage that the above-mentioned elements of production create in capitalist production.
By thingification Marx understands 'the immediate coalescence of the material determinations
of the elements constituting the capitalist production process with their specifically social
determinations, ' and, more generally, the inseparable coalescence between the socially
determined and the naturally determined conditions of production elements (means of
production, ground, labor, etc.). This coalescence causes the disappearance of specific social
determinations in the capitalist mode of production in which, on the surface of capitalist
production, nothing but the natural and material relations of production without any social-
historical limitations appear. Thingification assumes its most complete form in the economic
trinity. It already begins in the world of commodities. In this sense, the logic of Capital stands
for the logical development of the deepening mystification of capitalist production from
commodity and money through industrial, commercial, and interest-bearing capital to property
on the ground (Tairako 2017: 9-10).
Thingification as the coalescence of social determinations with natural-material ones
constitutes a base for fetishism in the everyday representations of bourgeois society and,
therefore, in the bourgeois economy. However, thingification itself must be distinguished from
fetishism because the latter is related to the reversed-distorted consciousness caused by the
former while the former is related to the reversed reality of the economic system, which cannot
be reduced to a reversed-distorted consciousness (Tairako 2017: 13).
The following passage in Grundrisse helps us consider alienation in relation to reification-

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2018] REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION - BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S CRITIQUE 3
thingification:
voraussezt;
Geld) das Vertrauen schenken, was sie sich nicht

schenken sie der Sache das Vertrauen? Doch offen
der Personen unter einander; als versachlichtem Tau
als eine Beziehung der produktiven Thätigkeit der Personen unter einander
ihm nur als "Faustpfand der Gesellschaft aber solches Faust

gesellschaftlichen (symbolischen) Eigenschaft; und gesell
nur besitzen, weil die Individuen ihre eigne gesellschaft
sich entfremdet haben.
[The existence of money presupposes the reification of social relationship
economists say that people put their trust in a thing

themselves as persons. But why do they put their trust i
trust in money only because it is just the reified relation
the reified exchange value, and exchange value is
productive activities to each other
money is such a mortgage only because of its socia

such social property only because individuals aliena
object from themselves.] (MEGA II/l.l: 93)
In the above-quoted passage, reification consists i

relationships of persons (in the first sentence). In the fo
of the following two elements: (1) the thing as the reifi
(2) the thing as the reified exchange value; The first elem
narrow sense of the meaning while the second element c
exchange value as a socio-natural property' created by
with natural material determination. The exchange value
defined as a relationship of people's productive activ
thingification as long as it appears as a 'socio-natural pro
precious metals. In the last sentence, the reason for reif
terms of alienation: 'individuals alienate their own
themselves.' By alienation Marx understands the activ
social relationships in the form of objects, in opposition
we discover that alienation shares the same logical frame
other words, reification-thingification as a process
individuals are, in the form of alien objects, distanced f
be reformulated as alienation when this process is r
individuals to relate to the action itself and its object
objects to which laborers relate their alienated labor are
relationship, alienation by definition presupposes reificat
long as reification-thingification as a social relationship
into a 'socio-natural property' is ultimately based upo
objects and products of labor, and even to labor itsel
reification-thingification is logically founded upon alienat

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Therefore, alienation and reification-thingification a

had, already from Economic and Philosophical Manuscri
as two aspects of the same social structure. Regard
alienation refers to money, we can understand that alie
validity, and must not be reduced to alienated labor
often the case in conventional Marx literature.
I. Alienation Presupposes Reification-thingification
In this section, we establish the meaning of alienation for the mature Marx by examining
the use of this term in texts in which the conceptual difference between Sache and Ding is
introduced1.
As already shown, the most basic meaning of alienation in Economic Manuscripts
preparing Capital can be described as such circumstance that the objective conditions of labor2
(instruments of labor, objects of labor and means of subsistence) are made independent as alien
objects' of, opposed to, and dominant over laborers. Therefore, they are not only alienated from
the means of production but also from the means of subsistence.
Die der Arbeit entfremdete, verselbstständigte und verwandelte Gestalt der

Arbeitsbedingungen, worin also die producirten Productionsmittel zum Capital und die
Erde zum Privateigenthum, zur monopolisirten Erde wird, zur Grundgeeigneten, fallt daher
zusammen mit dem Dasein und der Function der producirten Productionsmittel und der
Erde im Arbeitsproceß, Productionsproceß überhaupt.
[Therefore, the form of conditions of labor, alienated from labor, made independent and
transformed , in which, therefore, the produced means of production becomes capital , the
ground private property, namely monopolized ground , or ground property , becomes
congruent with the existence of, and the function of the produced means of production and
the ground in the labor process, the production process in general.] (MEGA II/4.2: 846)
The means of production alienated from laborers are not such simple things as machines,
raw materials or foods but those in which the social relationships of producers are thingified as
'socio-natural properties.' Labor products alienated from laborers under the rule of capital are
not simply things but thingified social relationships of individuals to each other. As a bearer of
thingified social relationships, the means of production and of subsistence are able to gain
social power' not only over laborers but also over capitalists.
Das Capital zeigt sich immer mehr als gesellschaftliche Macht (deren Functionär der
Capitalist ist und die in gar keinem möglichen Verhältnisse mehr zu dem steht, was die
1 In the First Volume (the Second Edition) of Capital (1872), Marx uses alienation (Entfremdung) and alienated
(entfremdet) four times: MEGA II/6: 417, 527, 558, 588 (MEW23: 456, 596, 635, 674) . In the First Manuscript to
the Third Volume of CapitaĶ 1864-65), he uses the term five times: MEGA II/4.2: 119, 120, 337, 649, 846, 851. These
terms are not found in the Second Volume of Capital edited by Engels.
2 Marx includes in the objective conditions of labor "Grund und Boden, Rohmaterial, Lebensmittel,
Arbeitsinstrumente, Geld [ground, raw material, means of subsistence, instrument of labor, money]" (MEGA II/1.2:
406).

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Arbeit eines einzelnen Individuums schaffen kann), aber als entfremdete, verselbstständigte
gesellschaftliche Macht, die als Sache - und als Macht des Capitalisten durch diese Sache
- der Gesellschaft gegenübertritt.
[Capital more and more shows itself as social power , (whose executive the capitalist is,
and that has no longer any possible relation to what the work of a particular individual can
create), but as alienated, independent social power that, as thing (Sache) - and as the
power of the capitalist through this thing (Sache) - becomes opposed to society.] (MEGA
II/4.2: 337)
From the above-quoted passage, we can understand why alienation must be interpreted in
the theoretical framework of reification-thingification. Some Marxian scholars criticize the
theory of alienation as taking into consideration nothing but a subject-object relationship
without regarding aspects of social relations. They describe alienated labor as a particular labor
process isolated from the social division of labor in which a capitalist takes what a laborer
produces. The most serious mistake in such interpretation of alienation lies in their
incompetence to comprehend objects alienated from subjects as reified-thingified social
relations. All of the means of production used by laborers in a labor process, the means of
subsistence consumed by them and the products made by them are in essence the embodiment
of reified social relations, and nevertheless, as a result of thingification (the coalescence of
social determination with natural-material determination), appear as simple natural things
(Dinge) in which any moments of social relations disappear.
Consequently, it follows that the theory of alienation and that of reification can be
mediated by thingification. This inevitably leads us to a new interpretation about the concept of
alienated labor in the First Manuscripts of The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of
1844 .
Many Marxian scholars are dissatisfied with the description of alienated labor by the
young Marx because (1) he analyzes nothing but the subject-object relation of a subject of labor
to its object while he has not yet taken the aspects of mutual social relations of a subject to
another subject (der gesellschaftliche Verkehr) into consideration; (2) the theory of alienation
remains too subjectivisť as long as it presupposes not- alienated,' authentic' human essence so
that the theory of alienation should be given up and replaced by the theory of reification
focused upon social relations.
Such criticisms and interpretations are incompatible with Marx's texts in The Economic
and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844.
Marx says: Wir gehn von einem Nationalökonomischen, gegenwärtigen Factum aus. [We
start from a national-economic, present fact.] (MEGA 1/2: 364) The concept of alienated labor'
theoretically presupposes a society in which full-scale commodity exchange and capitalist
production take place, the price of a commodity consists of wages, profit (interest) and ground
rent, and the rule of value in the production and the exchange of commodities prevails;
circumstances that serve as the theoretical starting point for the political economy since Adam
Smith serve as a stage for alienation.
Dieß Factum drückt weiter nichts aus, als : Der Gegenstand, den die Arbeit producirt, ihr
Product, tritt ihr als ein fremdes Wesen, als eine, von d[em] Producenten unabhängige
Macht gegenüber. Das Product der Arbeit ist die Arbeit, die sich in einem Gegenstand
fixirt, sachlich gemacht hat, es ist die Vergegenständlichung der Arbeit. Die

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Verwirklichung der Arbeit ist ihre Vergegenständlich

erscheint in dem nationalökonomischen Zustand al
Vergegenständlichung als Verlust des Gegensta
Gegenstand, die Aneignung als Entfremdung, als Entäusserung
daß der Arbeiter zum Product seiner Arbeit als einem frem
liegen alle diese Consequenzen
die Bedeutung, nicht nur, daß seine Arbeit zu einem G

Existenz wird, sondern daß sie ausser ihm, unabhängig, fre
selbstständige Macht ihm gegenüber wird, daß das Leben, w
hat, ihm feindlich und fremd gegenübertritt.
[This fact expresses no more than that the object produced
opposed to labor as an alien entity , as a power independent
of labor is a labor that is fixed in an object, namely is reif
labor. The realization of labor is the objectification of la
the national-economic situation, appears as the deprivation
objectification as the loss of object and subordination of
acquisition as alienation , as ex ternalization
determination that the laborer relates to the product of his labor as an alien object
The externalization of the laborer not only signifies t

namely an external existence, but also that it exists outsid
to him and becomes in opposition to him an independent p
to the object becomes opposed to him in a hostile and alien
Descriptions similar to the above-quoted passages from

Manuscripts of 1844 are repeatedly found even in the Econom
Here, an object, opposed to the laborer, as an alien entity
independent ' is not a labor product as a barely natural thing
relation. 'Labor that is fixed in an object, namely is reifie
determinations as value, money and capital. A product to
object' can function as a social power to subjugate him just be
relations of laborers to each other in a thingified w
[Gattungscharakter] of laborers' activity is thingified into th
Thus, we can fully understand the significance of Marx's fol
Indem daher die entfremdete Arbeit dem Menschen de

entreißt, entreißt sie ihm sein Gattungsleben, seine wirklic
[Therefore, the alienated labor, by snatching from the hu
snatches from him his genus life , in other words, his rea
370)
In sum, Marx's concept of alienation presupposes the thingification of production relations

in the national-economic circumstance.' Thingification results from reification. Thus, Marx links
the theory of alienation and that of reification through thingification.

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II. Max 's Concept of Capital - Capitalist Results from Capital
Now, we return to Economic Manuscripts preparing Capital.

Marx is distinguished from other economists by his unique concept of capital, according to
which capital is not derived from capitalist but, to the contrary, capitalist is derived from
capital. According to non-Marxist economics, the capitalist is firstly presupposed, and at the
second step the goods and money that he invests for the sake of profit are called capital. As is
the case in the controversy on productive and unproductive labor, the commodities and money,
resulting from saving by capitalists and, reserved for productive investment are defined as
capital. This is a sort of definition of capital derived from the capitalist. On the contrary, Marx
defines capital as independently self-valorizing value (der verselbsändigte, verwertende Wert) so
that the definition of capital precedes that of capitalist.
Die objektiven Bedingungen des lebendigen Arbeitsvermögens sind vorausgesezt als ihm
gegenüber selbstständige Existenz, als die Objektivität eines von dem lebendigen
Arbeitsvermögen unterschiednen und ihm selbstständig gegenüberstehenden Subjects; die
Reproduction und Verwerthung, d. h. die Erweiterung dieser objektiven Bedingungen ist
daher zugleich die Reproduction und Neuproduction ihrer als des Reichthums eines
fremden Subjects, dem Arbeitsvermögen gleichgültig und selbstständig gegenüberstehend.
Was reproducirt und neu producili wird ist nicht nur das Dasein dieser objektiven
Bedingungen der lebendigen Arbeit, sondern ihr Dasein als selbstständiger , d. h. einem
fremden Subject angehöriger Werthe, gegenüber diesem lebendigen Arbeitsvermögen. Die
objektiven Bedingungen der Arbeit erhalten subjektive Existenz gegenüber dem lebendigen
Arbeitsvermögen - aus dem Capital wird der Capitalist.
[The objective conditions of the living labor-ability (Arbeitsvermögen) are presupposed as
an existence independent of it, as the objectivity of a subject different from it and
independently opposed to it; the reproduction and valorisation (Verwerthung), namely the
expansion of these objective conditions is therefore at the same time the reproduction and
new production of them as the wealth of an alien subject indifferent to, and independently
opposed to labor-ability. What is reproduced and newly produced is not only the existence
of these objective conditions of living labor but also the existence of them as independent
values, namely belonging to an alien subject in opposition to this living labor-ability. The
objective conditions of labor receive a subjective existence in opposition to the living
labor-ability - from capital emerges the capitalist.] (MEGA II/1.2: 370)
Die Production von Capitalisten und Lohnarbeitern ist also ein Hauptproduct des
Verwerthungsprocesses des Capitals 3
lichte Arbeit zugleich als Nichtgegenständlichkeit des Arbeiters

einer dem Arbeiter entgegengesezten Subjectivität gesezt ist, a
3 It follows from this sentence that the mutual personal contractual relationship betwe
the starting point) does not cause self-valorizing capital as a result but, on the contrar
persons is secondarily as a main product of the self-valorizing process of capital. Th
theory of reification-thingification in which the logical transition from a thing (Sach
of the former takes place.

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fremden Willens, ist das Capital nothwendig zugleich Capitalist
Capitals ist gesezt daß die objektiven Formen der Ar

Product - ihr gegenüber Persönlichkeit annehmen,
Eigenthum einer dem Arbeiter fremden Persönlichkeit g
ist der Capitalist enthalten.
[ Therefore , the production of capitalists and wage la
valorizing process (Verwerthungsprozess) of capital
objectified labor is at the same time established as th

objectivity belonging to a subjectivity opposed to
alien to him, capital is inevitably at the same time capitalist
concept of capital that the objective forms of labor - a

- assume personality in opposition to labor, or what
property belonging to a personality alien to the laborer
concept of capital.] (MEGA II/1.2: 414-415)
In order to precisely comprehend Marxs concept of

proposition: capitalist results from capital, we should
independently opposed to the labor-ability' in the abo
Marx's economic texts, a subject does not always stand
objective conditions of labor, separated from the living lab
self- valorizing value are established as an alien subject
appears as a subject4. Secondly, from capital as an origina
personally represents the subjectivity of capital as an
living labor-ability. This refers to Marx's concept of
personification (Personifizierung) of capital that consists
capital itself subjectifies-personifies itself as things (the
to the laborer; (2) the capitalist as a person that repr
subjectified-personified thing. In this circumstance, thin
not hold a social power over laborers because they bel
embody the thingified social relations that enable capital
The German adjective fremd (alien), which is frequentl
Capital and Economic Manuscripts has very often been
belonging to the other person. By such careless interpret
that Marx gives to such categories as reification-thingific
been ignored. As shown above, Marx firstly posits th
subjectivity alien to the laborer, and secondly derives fro
personal bearer or representative of this alien subjectiv
adjective fremd to the other person, the personal character
which should first be treated in terms of personification
be introduced from the beginning; as a result, it would t
could no longer be different from the non-Marxian econo
from the capitalist.
4 "Das Capital seinerseits erscheint daher als das übergreifende Subject u

the capital itself appears as the overall governing subject and proprieto

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III. The Concept of Alienation in The Economic and Philosophical

Manuscripts of 1844
- Alienation and Private Property
If we reformulate, from the aspect of labor, the process in which capital establishes itself
as an alien subjectivity opposed to the laborer, this process is determined as the alienation of
labor.'
In the First Manuscript of The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 , the
alienation of labor' is firstly determined as (1) the activity of the laborer to relate to the objects
of his own labor (means of production and those of subsistence) as alien objects,' secondly as
(2) the activity of the laborer to relate to his own labor itself as alien labor.' From these two
determinations Marx derives a third one: namely (3) the activity of the laborer to relate to his
own genus life' (Gattungsleben), or 'his own genus being' (Gattungswesen), as an alien entity.'
If we had no access to Marx's writings other than those written in the First Manuscript,
this restriction could cause various interpretations and involve researchers in endless disputes.
However, as long as we notice that, in Marx's Economic Manuscripts , the object or the product
always stands for a specific form of thingified social relations, we can reasonably comprehend
that the first determination refers to alien object' as thingified social relations, the second refers
to labor as alien activity' that causes the thingification of social relations; Based upon these
considerations, Marx comes to comprehend the thingified social relations themselves in terms of
various determinations of genus such as genus entity (Gattungswesen), genus life
(Gattungsleben), genus activity (Gattungstätigkeit) or genus character (Gattungscharakter). As
long as we keep reification and thingification in the capitalist production process in mind, there
is no theoretical difficulty in the logical transition of the four determinations of alienated labor
in the First Manuscript. Of course, one question remains: is a concept such as genus that Marx
borrows from Feuerbach suitable to theoretically express the reified-thingified social relations in
national-economic' circumstances? As a matter of fact, it is not a valid or effective concept.
This might be the reason why Marx, in Capital and Economic Manuscripts , gives up genus as a
key-word to express reified-thingified social relations. However, Marx's argument to treat
reified-thingified social relations as such in the third determination is acceptable and reasonable.
Die Theilung der Arbeit ist der nationalökonomische Ausdruck von der Gesellschaftlichkeit
der Arbeit innerhalb der Entfremdung. Oder, da die Arbeit nur ein Ausdruck der
menschlichen Thätigkeit innerhalb der Entäusserung, der Lebensäusserung als
Lebensentäusserung ist, so ist auch die Theilung der Arbeit nichts andres als das
entfremdete, entäusserte Setzen der menschlichen Thätigkeit als einer realen
Gattungsthätigkeit oder als Thätigkeit d [es] Menschen als Gattungswesen. Ueber das
Wesen der Theilung der Arbeit
der menschlichen Thätigkeit als Gattungsthätigkeit sind

und sich widersprechend.
[The division of labor is the national-economic expr
within alienation. Or, since labor is nothing but an expr
externalization, namely of the manifestation of life
division of labor is also nothing but an alienated, extern

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as a real genus activity , or as an activity of the human

essence of the division of labor
human activity as a genus activity , national-economists are

(MEGA 1/2: 429)
Comprehending the division of labor as an alienated, ex

activity as real genus activity dates back to Adam Smith. Follo
Marx quotes the following sentences from Adam Smith:
allgemeinen Hangs zum Handel und Austausch, si

schaftliche Masse geworfen finden, wo jeder Mensch
gehn kann irgendeinen Theil des Products der Indus
Hang zum Austausch der Theilung der Arbeit ihren U
Wachsthum dieser Theilung immer beschränkt durc
auszutausehen oder in andern Worten durch die Ausdehn
[
inclination to trade and exchange, are found to be thrown,

stock, where each human being, according to his needs, is ab
industrial products of other people
division of labor , the increase of this division is always c

the competence to exchange or, in other words, by the e
1/2: 430)
Die Betrachtung der Theilung der Arbeit und des Austausches ist vom höchsten Interesse,
weil sie die sinnfällig entäusserten Ausdrücke der menschlichen Thätigkeit und
Wesenskraft, als einer Gattungsmässigen Thätigkeit und Wesenskraft sind.
[The consideration about the division of labor and exchange is enormously interesting
because they are sensorially externalized ways to express human activity and essential
power as an activity and essential power suitable to genus.] (MEGA 1/2: 433)
IV. Alienation in Exzerpte aus James Mill: Élémens ďéconomie politique
If the division of labor and exchange are social relations to realize the social character of
human labor in an alienated or externalized way, in other words, they embody reified social
relations, these reified relations are, furthermore, corporeally condensed into matter, which is
money. Money is a product of the thingification of social relations. In Exzerpte aus James Mill:
Élémens d' économie politique , Marx analyzes (1) trade and exchange as reification of social
relations, and (2) money as thingification of social relations.
We now consider how, in Exzerpte aus James Mill : Élémens ďéconomie politique , the
logical transition from (1) to (2) is explained by Marx:
Der Tausch oder der Tauschhandel ist also der gesellschaftliche, der Gattungsakt, das
Gemeinwesen, der gesellschaftliche Verkehr und Integration der Menschen innerhalb des
Privateigenthums und darum der äusserliche, der entäusserte Gattungsakt.

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2018] REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION - BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S CRITIQUE 1 1
[Exchange or trade is, therefore, the social action, the genus action, the community, the
social intercourse and integration of people within private property , and, consequently, the
external, externalized genus action.] (MEGA IV/2: 454)
Die Nationalökonomie nun faßt das Gemeinwesen des Menschen, oder ihr sich betäti-
gendes Menscnenwesen, ihre wechselseitige Ergänzung zum Gattungsleben, zum wahrhaft
menschlichen Leben unter der Form des Austausches und des Handels auf.
wie die Nationalökonomie die entfremdete Form des geselligen Verkehrs als die
wesentliche und ursprüngliche und der Menschlichen Bestimmung entsprechende fixirt.
[Now, the national-economics comprehends the community of the people , or their working
entity of mankind, their mutual complement to a genus life, namely to an authentically
human life, under the form of exchange and trade
economics in a fixed way grasps the alienated form

is essential and initial , and corresponds to the mis
(1) Firstly, Marx grasps private property in terms

and characterizes it as 'the externalized genus acti
alienated form of the social intercourse' [die entfrem
first phase constitutes the alienation = externalization
consequently, corresponds to reification: namely p
Then Marx goes forth to the second phase, introduci
Das Wesen des Geldes ist zunächst
der menschliche, gesellschaftliche Akt, wodurch s

wechselseitig ergänzen, entfremdet und die Eigenschaf
Menschen, des Geldes wird
Operation mit denselben, wird zur Operation eines

dem Menschen
Mittler ist die wirkliche Macht über das, womit er mich vermittelt
daher das sich selbst abhanden gekommne, entfremdet

sich selbst äusserlich gewordne, entäusserte Privat
Vermittlung der menschlichen Production mit der men
Gattungsthätigkeit des Menschen ist. Alle Eigenschafte
dieser Thätigkeit zukommen, werden daher auf diesen M
[The essence of money is, firstly, that the mediating a
human , social action through which the products of th
each other has become alienated , and becomes the
outside the human being, namely that of money
human operation towards them is transformed into th

outside and over the human being
actual God because the mediator is the actual power

mediates me
the externalized private property that has become exterio

private property is the externalized mediation of human pr
namely the externalized genus activity of mankind. Conseq
production of genus activity, belong to this activity are t

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(MEGA IV/2: 447-448)
(2) The second phase is characterized as the transf

through which the products of the human being mut
property of a material thing (Ding) outside the human
money as the mediator of trade and exchange. The relatio
Sachen or the operation of the human being in relati
operation of an entity (Wesen) outside and over the
constitutes the second phase of the alienation=externaliza
for the reversal of social intercourse to the property
private property' corresponds to thingification. The y
two-fold transformation of alienation = externalization, n
relation, and (2) in terms of the property of a thing. An
and property as key words for the second phase, namely t
Having determined private property as the two-fold tra
ization, Marx further discusses the theoretical relation
way:
Warum muß das Privateigenthum zum Geldwesen

geselliges Wesen zum Austausch und weil der Austa
Privateigenthums - zum Werth fortgehn muß. Die v
schenden Menschen ist nämlich keine gesellschaftliche,
menschliches Verhältniß, es ist das abstrakte Verh
Privateigenthum, und dieß abstrakte Verhältniß ist der
als Werth erst das Geld ist
sinnfällige Ausdruck der Geldseele, die i

Bewegungen der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft stec
[Why must private property advance to the m
social entity must advance to exchange , an
presupposition of private property - advanc
exchanging human being is, namely, no social
relation ; it is the abstract relation of private p
relation is the value , whose first real existence as value is money
5 "Das Geld, indem es die Eigenschaft besizt, alles zu kaufen, indem e

anzueignen, ist also der Gegenstand im eminenten Besitz. Die Universa
Wesens; es gilt daher als allmächtiges Wesen
Gegenstand, zwischen dem Leben und dem Lebensmittel d [es] Mensc

vermittelt mir auch das Dasein d [es] andern Menschen für mich. Da
possesses the property to buy everything, since it possesses the prope
the object of eminent possession. The universality of its property is
regarded as an omnipotent entity
means of subsistence of the human being. However, what mediates my life t

the other man for me. It is the other human being for me.] (MEGA 1/2: 435)
[Eigenschaft]. This witnesses that the young Marx had already paid attention
thingification. Last but not least, the last sentence in the quotation: money
worth consideration because, in a market society, money represents the othe
its material form human relations.

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existence of money is only the official sensory expression of the money-soul that lies
concealed in all parts of production and movements of civil society.] (MEGA IV/2: 448-
449)
From the above-quoted passage we can see that (1) exchange as 'the mediating movement
of the exchanging human being' is regarded as 'the abstract relation of private property to
private property' (private property as a relation), and (2) this abstract relation is transformed
into a property of a commodity, whose first germinal form is value; and (3) the first visible and
official form of value is money while value concealed in commodities still remains invisible
and, consequently, publicly unrecognizable. Thus, money is an officially acceptable visible
manifestation of value ('money-soul') of commodities. Stage (1) refers to reification, Stage (2)
refers to the first phase of thingification (on the stage of commodities), and the last stage, Stage
(3) refers to the second thingification (on the stage of money). Therefore, money is a more
developed form of thingification on the stage of commodities in the form of value or
equivalent6.
At the last phase of consideration on private property, Marx reformulates the alienation =
externalization of private property in terms of the alienation =externalization of labor, which is
expressed as the 'labor to earn money (die Erwerbsarbeit)':
Das Verhältniß des Tausches vorausgesezt, wird die Arbeit zur unmittelbaren
Erwerbsarbeit. Dieß Verhältniß der entfremdeten Arbeit erreicht seine Höhe erst dadurch,
daß 1) von der einen Seite die Erwerbsarbeit , das Produkt des Arbeiters in keinem
unmittelbaren Verhältniß zu seinem Bedürfniß und zu seiner Arbeitsbestimmung steht
Das Product wird als Werth, als Tauschwerth, als Aeq

unmittelbaren persönlichen Beziehung zum Producenten wegen producirt
Erwerbsarbeit liegt: 1) Die Entfremdung und Zufällig

Subjekt; 2) die Entfremdung und Zufälligkeit der Arbeit
Bestimmung des Arbeiters durch die gesellschaftlichen B
und ein Zwang sind, dem er sich aus egoistischem Bedürfniß, aus Noth unterwirft
daß dem Arbeiter die Erhaltung seiner individuellen Exi

erscheint und sein wirkliches Thun ihm nur als Mittel g
Leftensmittel zu erwerben.
[As soon as the relation of exchange is presupposed, labor is transformed into direct labor
to earn money. This is the relation of alienated labor, and this relation reaches its climax
only when, on the one hand, labor to earn money or the product of the laborer bears no
6 "Im Geld, der vollständigen Gleichgültigkeit sowohl gegen die Natur des Materials, gegen die spezifische Natur des
Privateigenthums, wie gegen die Persönlichkeit des Privateigenthümers, ist die vollständige Herrschaft der entfremdeten
Sache über den Menschen in die Erscheinung getreten. Was als Herrschaft der Person über die Person, ist nun die
allgemeine Herrschaft der Sache über die Person, des Products über den Producenten. Wie schon im Aequivalent, im
Werth die Bestimmung der Entäusserung des Privateigenthums lag, so ist das Geld das sinnliche, selbst gegenständliche
Dasein dieser Entäusserung ." [In money , as the complete indifference to the nature of material, to the special nature of
private property as well as to the personality of private proprietor, the complete dominion of the alienated thing over
the human being has been manifested. What existed as the dominion of person over person is now the general
dominion of the thing over the person , in other words, of the products over the producer. In the same way, as already
in the equivalent , in value where the determination of the externalization of private property existed, money is the
sensory, objective existence of this externalization .] (MEGA IV/2: 456)

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14 HiTOTSuBASHi journal of social studies [January
direct relation to his need or his purpose of labor
equivalent , the product is no longer produced because of

the producer
contingency of labor from the laboring subject; 2) th

from the object of labor; 3) the determination of the
however, alien to him and the coercion to which h
or wants
the purpose of his activity and his actual action is r

(MEGA IV/2: 455)
To sum up, alienated labor is labor to earn money (die

that creates value. Therefore, the theory of alienation cons
the transformation of relations of persons to persons in th
things (the first phase of the alienation =externalization of
(2) the transformation of relations of things to things into
(the second phase of the alienation =externalization of priv
and (3) the transformation of property of a thing from
further to capital. The last transformation is characteri
things or products over the laborer or labor.
This is why the theory of alienation at first leaves th
consideration in order to comprehend the relation of the l
relate himself to the objective conditions of labor as alien o
setting are we able to grasp the labor process under capital
forms of means of production absorb the labor of lab
valorizing process of value (Verwertungsprozess). This i
principle, does not regard the relation of capital to labor as
a person exploits surplus-labor from the laborer as another
the dominion of capital over labor as the thing (Sache-Ding
an inevitable consequence of the principal dominion, establ
over the laborer (the capitalist as personification of capital
It follows from this that the theory of alienation do
between alienation in the form of money and that in the f
focuses on the increasing independence of things from the
as the first completed form of the independence of value a
capital is principally defined as independently self-valorizin
different phases of the same developmental process of alie
from the laboring subjects. This is the reason why Mar
alienation to the determination of money as well as that of
On the contrary, as soon as we identify the alienation
surplus-labor, this indispensable connection between mo
incredible theoretical confusion and many absurd interpreta

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V. Alienation in the First Manuscript of the Economic and Philosophical

Manuscripts of 1844
After confirming the theoretical setting and framework of alienation, we are finally able to
correctly interpret the concept of alienation in the First Manuscript of the Economic and
Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844
We are ready to accept that Marx achieved a series of significant theoretical developments
from the First to the Second, and further to the Third Manuscript. However, we do not agree to
such interpretation as to suppose as if there were a theoretical rupture among three manuscripts
so that, while writing the First Manuscript, Marx could not have taken into consideration what
he wrote in the Second and Third Manuscripts. By means of text hermeneutics, we should
determine in what manner the theoretical achievements that he acquires in the later manuscripts
are already in an immature form anticipated in the First Manuscript.
The world where alienated labor prevails is a national-economic circumstance,' namely a
society where the social division of labor and the overall exchange of products as commodities
take place; this is a society of reified-thingified production relations. As we have already seen,
the theory of alienation presupposes reification-thingification of production relations, and at the
same time provides the logical foundation for reification-thingification in terms of the activity
of the laboring subject.
Many researchers have discovered in the First Manuscript theoretical defects or flaws
while, on the other hand, they have often highly estimated descriptions in the Second and Third
Manuscripts; this could easily lead them to a rather popular supposition about the above-
mentioned theoretical rupture among the three manuscripts.
A common type of misunderstanding of the First Manuscript comes from such
interpretation as to immediately identify alienated labor with the relation of capitalist to laborer
that, as the relation of one person to another person, enables the capitalist to exploit surplus-
labor. This interpretation fails to explain why Marx introduces the capitalist and considers the
personal relation of the capitalist to the laborer only in the fourth determination of alienated
labor, and why up to the third determination he leaves the relation between the capitalist and
the laborer as that between different classes out of consideration.
This misinterpretation is closely connected with another misinterpretation, according to
which the adjective: fremd (alien) as a most important key word for the concept of alienated
labor is simply interpreted or translated as of another person or belonging to another person. If
we interpreted the term: fremd to be of anoother person, then we would introduce the capitalist
as a person alien to the laborer to the consideration on the first determination, which would
reduce the theory of alienation to that of surplus-labor.
Die Entfremdung erscheint sowohl darin, daß mein Lebensmittel eines andern ist, daß
dieß, was mein Wunsch der unzugängliche Besitz eines andern ist, als daß jede Sache
selbst ein andres als sie selbst, als daß meine Thätigkeit ein andres, als endlich, - und
dieß gilt auch für den Capitalisten - daß überhaupt die unmenschliche Macht her[rscht.]
[Alienation appears not only in the fact that my means of life belong to something else,
that which / desire is the inaccessible possession of this something else , but also in the fact
that everything is itself something different from itself - that my activity is something else

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and that, finally (and this also applies to the capit

general prevails.] (MEGA 1/2: 426)
In the above-quoted passage, it is evident from the co

case) does not refer to ein andrer (the nominative ca
(the nominative case of the neuter), which, conseque
something else. This something else (ein andres) as an im
holds sway over the laborer but also over the capitalist.
this distinction between ein andres' (something else)
crucial for correctly comprehending alienation has simp
translator of Marx Engels Collected Works , Volume 3 t
someone else' or of another,' which distorts the underst
Estrangement is manifested not only in the fact that

else, that which I desire is the inaccessible possession
everything is itself something different from itself -
that, finally (and this applies also to the capitalist)
power. {The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts
Now, we quote some passages from the First Manuscr

and how the misinterpretation of the texts is liable to oc
Der Arbeiter wird um so ärmer, je mehr Reichthum

an Macht und Umfang zunimmt. Der Arbeiter wird e
Waaren er schafft. Mit der Verwerthung der Sach
Menschenwelt in direktem Verhältniß zu. Die Arb
producirt sich selbst und d [en] Arbeiter als eine W
welchem sie überhaupt Waaren producirt.
[The more wealth the laborer produces, in other word
in power and size, the poorer he becomes. The more c
commodity he becomes. In direct proportion to the v
the value-decrease of the human world advance. Labor
produces itself and the laborer as a commodity , and, m
labor in general produces commodities.] (MEGA 1/2: 3
When Marx writes: The more wealth the laborer prod

not mean by this that the poorer the laborer becomes,
in direct proportion to the value-decrease (Entwerth
increase (Verwerthung) of the thing world (die Sache
does not stand for the increase of the surplus-labor in th
Here comes the most important proposition in the Firs
7 "Die Aneignung des Gegentandes erscheint so sehr als Entfrem

producirt, er um so weniger besitzen kann und um so mehr unter di
[The acquisition of the object appears so much as alienation that the
possess, and the more he falls under the dominion of his product, n
does not refer to the dominion of the capitalist but to that of the pro

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In der Bestimmung, daß der Arbeiter zum Product seiner Arbeit als einem fremden
Gegenstand sich verhält, liegen alle diese Consequenzen.
[All of these consequences are implied in the determination that the laborer relates himself
to the product of his labor as an alien object.] (MEGA 1/2: 365)
As we already mentioned, an alien object' does not immediately mean an object that
belongs to the capitalist. Up to the third determination, the capitalist as a person must not come
on the stage of theoretical consideration while, as a person, only the laborer is permitted to
appear on the scene.
Die Nationalökonomie verbirgt die Entfremdung in dem Wesen der Arbeit dadurch , daß sie
nicht das unmittelbare Verhältniß zwischen dem Arbeiter , (der Arbeit) und der Production
betrachtet
Verhältniß des Arbeiters zu den Gegenständen se

Vermögenden zu den Gegenständen der Prod
Consequenz dieses ersten Verhältnisses.
[By not regarding the direct relation between the l
economics conceals the alienation in the essence of labor
to its products is the relation of the laborer to the obje

of the man of means to the objects of production and t
consequence of this first relation.] (MEGA 1/2: 366)
In the above-quoted passage, 'the direct relation

production' that national-economics does not regard mean
between the laborer (or labor) and capital directly, nam
capitalist, as a relation of the laboring subject to his objec
can we separate out the concept of alienation as a speci
relate himself to his activity as an alien one, which causes
over the laboring subject.
The following passage might be the most famous b
misunderstood one in the discussion on alienation of labor:
Worin besteht nun die Entäusserung der Arbeit? Erstens, daß die Arbeit dem Arbeiter
äusserlich ist, d. h. nicht zu seinem Wesen gehört, daß er sich daher in seiner Arbeit nicht
bejaht, sondern verneint, nicht wohl, sondern unglücklich fühlt, keine freie physische und
geistige Energie entwickelt, sondern seine Physis abkasteit und seinen Geist ruinirt. Der
Arbeiter fühlt sich daher erst ausser der Arbeit bei sich und in der Arbeit ausser sich
Seine Arbeit ist daher nicht freiwillig, sond

nicht die Befriedigung eines Bedürfnisses, son
ausser ihr zu befriedigen.
[What does the externalization of labor consis
namely does not belong to his essence, and
affirm but denies himself, does not feel h
physical and spiritual energy but inflicts pain
Therefore, the laborer feels himself at home only outside labor and lost during labor
Therefore, his labor is not voluntary but forced, namely fo

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1 8 HiTOTSUBASHi journal of social studies [January
the satisfaction of a need but is nothing but the

(MEGA 1/2: 366)
Many researchers regard the descriptions in the abo

the capitalist production process under the control of
the whole context in The Economic and Philosophica
externalized labor by definition signifies labor in gene
money (die Erwerbsarbeit). In Exzerpte aus James M
characterizes the Erwebsarbeit, namely labor that prod
money, in a similar way:
Dieser Mittler [=Geld] ist daher das sich selbst abhan

des Privateigenthums, das sich selbst äusserlich ge
wie es die entäusserte Vermittlung der menschlic
Production, die entäusserte Gattungsthätigkeit d
welche dieser in der Production dieser Thätigkeit
Mittler übertragen. Der Mensch wird also um so
diesem Mittler als dieser Mittler reicher wird.
[Therefore, this mediator [= money] is the lost, alienated essence of private property, the
externalized private property that has become exterior to itself in the same manner as
private property is the externalized mediation of human production with human production,
namely the externalized genus activity of mankind. Consequently, all properties that, in the
production of the genus activity, belong to this activity are transferred into this mediator.
Therefore, the richer this mediator becomes, the poorer the human being as mankind
becomes.] (MEGA IV/2: 448)
Es ist daher ein identischer Satz, daß der Mensch sich selbst entfremdet, und daß die
Gesellschaft dieses entfremdeten Menschen die Carikatur seines wirklichen Gemeinwesens,
seines wahren Gattungslebens sei, daß daher seine Thätigkeit als Qual, seine Eigne
Schöpfung ihm als fremde Macht, sein Reichthum als Armuth, das Wesensband, was ihn
an den andern Menschen knüpft, als ein unwesentliches Band und vielmehr die Trennung
vom andern Menschen als sein wahres Dasein, daß sein Leben als Aufopferung seines
Lebens, daß die Verwirklichung seines Wesens als Entwirklichung seines Lebens, daß
seine Production als Production seines Nichts, daß seine Macht über den Gegenstand als
die Macht des Gegenstands über ihn, daß er der Herr seiner Schöpfung als der Knecht
dieser Schöpfung erscheint.
[Consequently, it is an identical proposition that the human being alienates himself, and
that the society of this alienated human being is a caricature of his actual community , or of
his authentic genus life, that, therefore, his activity appears as torment, his own creature to
him as an alien power, his wealth as poverty, the essential bonds that tie him to other
human beings as an insignificant one, or rather the separation from the other human being
as his true existence, that his life appears as sacrifice, that the realization of his essence
appears as the loss of the reality of his life, that his production appears as the production
of his nothing, that his power over the object appears as the power of the object over him,
that he (the master of his creature) appears as the slave of this creature.] (MEGA IV/2:
452-453)

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dein eigner Gegenstand ist dir nur die sinnliche Hülle, die verborgne Gestalt meines
Gegenstandes; denn seine Production bedeutet, will ausdrücken: den Erwerb meines
Gegenstandes. Also bist du in der That für dich selbst zum Mittel, zum Instrument deines
Gegenstandes geworden, dessen Knecht deine Begierde ist, und du hast Knechtsdienste
gethan.
[Your own object is for you no more than the sensory cover , the concealed form of my
object, as the production of the object means , or will express the earning of my object.
Therefore, you are really for yourself transformed into a means of, or an instrument of
your object, whose slave your desire is, and you have done slave services.] (MEGA IV/2:
466)
Unter der Voraussetzung des Privateigenthums ist meine Individualität bis zu dem Punkte
entäussert, daß diese Thätigkeit mir verhaßt, eine Qual und vielmehr nur der Schein einer
Thätigkeit, darum auch eine nur erzwungene Thätigkeit
Arbeit] nur noch als der gegenständliche, sinnliche angeschaute
Selbstverlustes und meiner Ohnmacht.

[Under the presupposition of private property, my individuality is externalized to such a
point that this activity is hated by me, a torment and rather nothing but a pretense of an
activity, and, consequently, only a forced activity
more than the objective, sensorially observed
helplessness .] (MEGA IV/2: 466)
From the Third Manuscript, we quote the following p
Jeder sucht eine fremde Wesenskraft über d [en

Befriedigung seines eigenen eigennützigen Bedürf
Gegenstände wächst daher das Reich der fremden We
des feindlichen Wesens zu bemächtigen und die M

umgekehrten Verhältniß als die Masse der Productio
wie die Macht des Geldes zunimmt.
[Each person tries to create an alien power of essence ruling over the other person in order
to satisfy in this way his own egoistic needs. Therefore, together with masses of the
objects the realm of the alien entities increases, to which the human being is subjugated.
more money he requires to seize the hostile entity, and the

in inverse proportion to the mass of production, namely his s
as the power of money increases.] (MEGA 1/2: 418-419)
Je weniger du bist, je weniger du dem Leben äusserst, um so

ist dein entäussertes Leben, um so mehr speicherst du au
Wesen. Alles was dir der Nationalökonom an Leben nimm
ersezt er dir in Geld und Reichthum. Und alles das, was d
Geld.
[The less you are , the less you manifest life, the more
externalized life, the more of your alienated essence you

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national economics deprives you of in terms of life a

money and wealth. And everything that you cannot d
421)
In all quotations from Exzerpte aus James Mill: Elémens d'économie politique as well as
the Third Manuscript, descriptions concerning alienation refer to money and commodity
markets. There are no manifest descriptions concerning the capitalist production process. The
sway of the capitalist over the laborer as a relation of one person to another person is nowhere
discussed. From this we can reasonably infer that, in the First Manuscript, Marx mainly
discusses alienation through money and the value-creating labor in terms of the sway of the
object or the thing over the labor or the laboring subject while he intentionally in the first three
determinations of alienation leaves the existence of the capitalist out of consideration. We have
already discussed this sufficiently to understand the reason for it.
Now, we discuss the fourth determination. For the first time in this last determination the
other human being (der andere Mensch) is introduced as a category and the alienation of one
human being from another human being (die Entfremdung des Menschen von dem Menschen)
is discussed. However, even here, we must not directly identify the other human being with the
capitalist.
Ueberhaupt der Satz, daß dem Menschen sein Gattungswesen entfremdet ist, heißt daß ein
Mensch d[em] andern, wie jeder von ihnen dem menschlichen Wesen entfremdet ist. Die
Entfremdung d [es] Menschen, überhaupt jedes V [er] hältniß, in dem der Mensch zu sich
selbst steht [,] ist erst verwirklicht, drückt sich aus in dem Verhältniß, in welchem der
Mensch zu d [em] andern Menschen steht. Also betrachtet in dem Verhältniß der
entfremdete [n] Arbeit jeder Mensch d[en] andern nach dem Maaßstab und dem Verhältniß
in welchem er selbst, als Arbeiter sich befindet.
[The proposition that from the human being his genus entity is alienated generally means
that a human being is alienated from the other human beings in the same way as each of
them is alienated from the human essence. The alienation of the human being, in general,
any relation in which the human being relates to himself is only realized, expressed in the
relation in which he is to the other human being. Therefore, in the relation of alienated
labor, each human being regards the other according to the standard and the relation in
which each finds himself as a laborer.] (MEGA 1/2: 370-371)
From the context of the above-quoted passage, 'the other human being' does not refer to
the capitalist but to any other laborer that also works to earn money, because, in the context,
every human being is supposed to 'find himself as a laborer.' The capitalist for the first time
comes on the stage just after Marx presents the following question:
Wenn meine eigne Thätigkeit nicht mir gehört, eine fremde, eine erzwungne Thätigkeit ist,
wem gehört sie dann? Einem andern Wesen als mir. Wer ist dieß Wesen?
[If my own activity does not belong to me, namely is an alien activity, a forced one, to
whom/what does it then belong? To another entity [Wesen] other than me. Who is this
entity?] (MEGA 1/2: 371)
As already explained, alienation must in principle be formulated in terms of the sway of

the thing over the person. As long as we are engaged in the fundamental determination of

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alienation, we do not need to pose a question: to whom a thing that, alienated from human
beings, holds sway over them belongs to because the thing does not owe its own competence to
rule over the people to a certain person while even a person that is assumed to be a holder of
the thing must be under the sway of the thing. Consequently, the question: to whom the thing
belongs, must not be the primary one for providing the foundation of the concept of alienation
but a secondary one, which could be raised after the fundamental determinations of alienation
are given. According to the mature Marx, capitalist results from capital, but not vice versa. The
young Marx as well applies this principle to analysis on alienation.
Also durch die entfremdete , entäusserte Arbeit erzeugt der Arbeiter das Verhältniß eines
der Arbeit fremden und ausser ihr stehenden Menschen zu dieser Arbeit. Das Verhältniß
des Arbeiters zur Arbeit erzeugt das Verhältniß d[es] Capitalisten zu derselben.
[Therefore, through the alienated , externalized labor the laborer produces the relation of a
man alien to labor and standing outside it to this labor. The relation of the laborer to his
labor produces the relation of the capitalist to the labor.] (MEGA 1/2: 372)
Regarding the second sentence in the above-quoted passage: the relation of the laborer to
his labor produces the relation of the capitalist to the labor, but not vice versa, by the fourth
determination, the theory of alienation attains a new theoretical dimension; namely compre-
hending the personal relation between the capitalist and the laborer as a personification of the
thing. In this final phase, we can adequately discuss the exploitation of the laborers by the
capitalist.
Wir haben die eine Seite betrachtet, die entäusserte Arbeit in Bezug auf d [en] Arbeiter
selbst, d. h. das Verhältniß der entäusserten Arbeit zu sich selbst. Als Produkt, als
nothwendiges Resultat dieses Verhältnisses haben wir das Eigenthumsverhältniß des
NichtArbeiters zum Arbeiter und der Arbeit gefunden. Das Privateigenthum , als der
materielle, resumirte Ausdruck der entäusserten Arbeit umfaßt beide Verhältnisse, das
Verhältniß des Arbeiters zur Arbeit und zum Product seiner Arbeit und zum Nichtarbeiter
und das Verhältniß des Nichtarbeiters, zum Arbeiter , und dem Product seiner Arbeit.
[We have considered one side: externalized labor in relation to the laborer himself; namely
the relation of externalized labor to itself. We have found as a product of, or as an
inevitable result of this relation the property relation of the non-laborer to the laborer and
the labor. Private property as a material, summarized expression of the externalized labor
comprises both relations: namely the relation of the laborer to the labor , to the product of
his labor and to the non-laborer as well as the relation of the non-laborer to the laborer
and to the product of his labor.] (MEGA 1/2: 374)
For the first time in the final phase, the concept of the property relation of the non-laborer
to the laborer and the labor (das Eigenthumsverhältniß des Nicht Arbeiters zum Arbeiter und der
Arbeit) comes on the stage of theoretical consideration. It follows from this that, as far as we
follow Marx's method, we must not analyze the capitalist production system from the property
relation of the capitalist as a theoretical presupposition, which, on the contrary, must be derived
as an inevitable consequence from the independence of value alienated from and opposed to the
laborer.

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VI. Alienation and Perspective on the Cha
We have discussed the inseparable relation of the theor

thingification in detail. In this chapter, we are going to
Marx assigns to alienation. Marx often mentions rev
thingified economic system when introducing aliena
aspect of alienation, we can clarify a new aspect of the t
of reification-thingification, as a special kind of th
competent to change the capitalist system.
As we have seen, the labor process appears as a self
laborers must be related to their own labor and product
they act as personification of the labor force as a comm
labor force under capital, value as a thing is transforme
the specific behavior of laborers that relate themselves
themselves.
Diese Wertherhaltende und Neuwerth schaffende Kraft ist daher die Kraft des Capitals und
jener Prozess erscheint als der Process seiner Selbstverwerthung , und vielmehr der
Verarmung des Arbeiters, der den von ihm geschaffnen Werth zugleich als ihm selbst
fremden Werth schafft.
[This power to maintain value and create new value is therefore the power of capital and
that process appears as that of self-valorization , and rather as that of impoverishment of
the laborer that creates value as a value alien to himself ] (MEGA II/4.1: 63)
Thus, the process of self-valorizing value can be regarded as a self-impoverishing process

for laborers. By impoverishment, Marx understands not only impoverishment in living
standards of laborers but also a more fundamental reversal in the labor subsumed under capital
through which self-creating activities take place as a self-deprivation process for laborers. In his
manuscript preparing for the first volume of Capital entitled Resultate des unmittelbaren
Produktionsprozesses, Marx explains the inseparable interrelation between reification-
thingification and alienation in the following way:
Die Herrschaft des Capitalisten über den Arbeiter ist daher die Herrschaft der Sache über
den Menschen, der todten Arbeit über die lebendige, des Products über den Producenten.
auf dem ideologischen Gebiet in der

Objekt und umgekehrt. Historis
notwendige Durchgangspunkt, um
rücksichtslosen Produktivkräfte der
Basis einer freien menschlichen Ge
erzwingen. Es muss durch diese geg
Mensch seine Geisteskräfte zunäch
gestalten muss. Es ist der Entfremdu
der Arbeiter von vorn herein h
Entfremdungsprocess wurzelt und in

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Arbeiter als sein Opfer von vorn herein dagegen in einem rebellischem Verhältniss steht
und ihn als Knechtungsprocess empfindet.
[The sway of the capitalist over the laborer is consequently that of a thing over a human
being, of dead labor over living labor, of the product over the producer
the same relation in material production that is ex

religion , namely the reversal of the subject into th
considered, this reversal appears as the inevitable tr
creation of wealth as such, namely of such ruthless pro
can only form the material basis for a free human soci
people. The human being must go through this antag
must build his own spiritual forces first as independen
of religion. This is the alienation process of his own lab
stands higher than the capitalist as far as the latter is
finds his absolute satisfaction in it while, to the contrar
a rebellious relation to it and suffers it as an enslaveme
Since the capitalist is personified capital, "the sway o

essentially the power of the means of production as thing
The sway of the thing (reification-thingification) com
firstly, the reversal of object to subject, according to wh
to a subject ruling over the laborer, and, secondly, the re
which the laboring subject becomes reversed to an object
absorbs as much labor as possible. This rule of the thing i
mentioned impoverishment or alienation of the laborer. T
self-creation of the laborer is performed as his self-de
sense, the theory of reification-thingification and that of
with each other because in the theory of reification the s
of a reified social system that in the theory of alienation
behavior of laboring subjects.
However, as is seen in the above-mentioned quotation, M
ica! value on the concept of alienation than reification-
alienation opens up a dimension of negative experience
towards his own labor as "a value alien to himself' and,
recognition of the historical limits of the capitalist pr
himself in the alienation process and finds absolute satisf
laborer as a victim of this alienation process must revolt
Die verselbständigte und entfremdete Gestalt, welche d

überhaupt den Arbeitsbedingungen und dem Arbeitspro
entwickelt sich also mit der Maschinerie zum vollst
zum erstenmal die brutale Revolte des Arbeiters gegen
[Hence, the independent and alienated form that th
general gives to the conditions of labor, and the pro
laborer, develops into the most complete antagonism w
therefore when machinery arrives on the scene that th
savagely against the instruments of labor] (MEGA II

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Die Erkennung des Products als seines eignen, und die

Bedingungen seiner Verwirklichung als eines Unre
enormes Bewußtsein, seihst das Product der capita
das knell to its doom, wie mit dem Bewußtsein des
eines Dritten sein kann , die Sklaverei nur noch künstl
Basis der Production fortdauern zu können.
[For the laborer to recognize the product as his own, and to judge his separation from the
conditions of his realization as a wrong - a relation of coercion - is an enormous
realization, which is itself the product of the capitalist mode of production and,
nevertheless, the knell to its doom in the same way as, as soon as a slave realizes that he
can not be the property of a third person , the slavery still lasts in an artificial way, and has
ceased to be able to maintain itself as a base of production.] (MEGA II/3.6: 2287) 8
Consequently, the concept of alienation plays a decisive role in bridging the theory of
reification with historical prospects to overcome the reified economic system.
Besides, the above quotation testifies to the continuity of the epistemological framework of
the young Marx in the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 into the mature Marx.
The analogy between the alienation of labor and that of religion plays an important role from
the younger to the older Marx.
Wie der Mensch in der Religion vom Machwerk seines eignen Kopfes, so wird er in der
kapitalistischen Produktion vom Machwerk seiner eignen Hand beherrscht.
[Just as the human being is governed, in religion, by the products of his own brain, so, in
capitalist production, he is governed by the products of his own hand.] (MEGA 1/6: 567-
568)
Marx first constructed the theory of alienation in the Manuscripts of 1844 and developed it
into a more comprehensive theory of contradictions in the capitalist mode of production from
the Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie of 1857/58 onward. We have already seen
that Marx for the first time in the Grundrisse introduces reification as a significant concept for
characterizing the capitalist economic system. In the Grundrisse , Marx understands by
reification (1) reification as reified social relations, and, at the same time, (2) thingification as a
transformation of reified relations into the properties of a thing. Although Marx has not yet
differenciated thingification from reification, he pays attention to the two different phases of
reification in the following way:
In allen diesen Bezeichnungen scheint es (=das Capital) blose Sache zu sein und ganz mit
der Materie, in der es besteht, zusammenzufallen
klar, daß Geld nichts Handgreifliches ist; sonder

Bestimmung Capital, bald unter einer andren und en
sein kann und danach Capital ist oder nicht ist. Es is
nur ein Productionsverhältniß sein.
[In all these descriptions, capital seems to be a bar
8 Almost the same passage is found in the Grundrisse der Kritik d

371).

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the matter of which it consists
nothing tangible but the same thing can now be sub

capital, now under another and contrary determination
is capital or not capital. It is evidently in this way a
production relation .] (MEGA II/1.2: 415)
Capital consists in (1) a specific production relation in a

hand, (2) it appears to be a thing or completely identic
Marx in the Grundrisse in fact comprehends that reificat
has not yet conceptually differenciated the both phases in
so that, in the Grundrisse , the term Ding has not played
term Sache with regard to reification has played a signifi
Marx was writing the final manuscripts for Capital in 1 86
as significant analytical concepts Ding from Sache, and th
this period such as Manuscripts for the Third Volume of
Production Process witness the completed phase of the th
well as of alienation.
In comparison with the theory of reification, the theory of alienation has the following
special methodological aspects: (1) Firstly, it opens up a negative-practical dimension in which
the laborer must concern himself negatively (rebelliously) with his conditions of production and
his own products. (2) Secondly, it is demonstrated in this theory that the rule of things
alienated from the laborer establishes itself as an economic system that ruthlessly pursues the
creation of 'forces of the production of social labor.' (3) Thirdly, the second aspect leads to the
last and the most important aspect according to which the capitalist economic system is grasped
as a historically limited economic system that plays a role as a historical transition to a free
human society, namely a society based upon the association of working individuals.
Almost all significant categories discussed in this paper such as reification-thingification,
personification, alienation and externalization, their logical interrelation and their implications in
relation to the historical character of the capitalist economic system are summed up in the
following passage from the Grundrisse :
Die objectiven Bedingungen der Arbeit eine immer colossalere Selbstständigkeit
die lebendige Arbeit annehmen, und der gesellschaftlic

Portionen als fremde und beherrschende Macht der Arbeit g
gelegt nicht auf das Vergegenständlichtsein, sondem da
Veräussertsein - das Nicht-dem- Arbeiter-, sondem den personificirten
Productionsbedingungen-, i. e. dem-Capital-Zugehören der ungeheuren [ver] gegenständ-
lichten Macht, die die gesellschaftliche Arbeit selbst sich als eins ihrer Momente
gegenübergestellt hat. Soweit auf dem Standpunkt des Capitals und der Lohnarbeit die
Erzeugung dieses gegenständlichen Leibes der Thätigkeit im Gegensatz zum unmittelbaren
Arbeitsvermögen geschieht - dieser Process der Vergegenständlichung in fact als Process
der Entäusserung vom Standpunkt der Arbeit aus oder der Aneignung fremder Arbeit vom
Standpunkt des Capitals aus erscheint - ist diese Verdrehung und Verkehrung eine
wirkliche, keine blos gemeinte, blos in der Vorstellung der Arbeiter und Capitalisten
existirende. Aber offenbar ist dieser Verkehrungsprocess blos historische Nothwendigkeit,
blos Nothwendigkeit für die Entwicklung der Productivkräfte von einem bestimmten

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historischen Ausgangspunkt aus, oder Basis aus

Nothwendigkeit der Production; vielmehr eine verschw
Zweck (immanente) dieses Processes ist diese Basis se
Processes. Die bürgerlichen Oekonomen sind so eing
bestimmten historischen Entwicklungsstufe der Gesell
Vergegenständlichung der gesellschaftlichen Mächt
erscheint von der Nothwendigkeit der Entfremdung d
Arbeit. Mit der Aufhebung aber des unmittelbaren Ch
blos einzelner, oder als blos innerlich, oder blos äus
der Thätigkeit der Individuen als unmittelbar allgemei
gegenständlichen Momenten der Production diese Form
[The objective conditions of labor increasingly
independency against living labor, and social wealth
more and more massive measure confronts with lab
being objectified but on being alienated , externalized,
the tremendous objectified power that the social labor
own moments does not belong to the laborer but
production, namely capital9. As long as, from the view
creation of this objective body of activity takes pla
ability - this same process of objectification i
externalization from the viewpoint of labor, or as a
from the viewpoint of capital10 - , this reversal and in
supposed one, barely existing in the imagination of lab
process of reversal is evidently barely a historical n
development of production forces from a certain histo
the absolute necessity of production; it is rather a disa
(immanent) purpose of this process is to abolish this b
Bourgeois economists are so much consumed with th
of development of society that the necessity to objecti
to them to be inseparable from the necessity to alienat
However, together with the abolition of the direct
particular one, or as a barely internal, or barely ex
together with the positing of the activity of indivi
one, this form of alienation becomes removed from th
(MEGA II/1.2: 698)
The "historical meaning of capitalist production" in th

"inevitable transition" to a "free human society" tha
9 Here, we have to pay attention to the two phases of personificati

conditions of production is itself personification in the first phase and t
the second phase.
10 This passage supports our interpretation of reification-thingific
process that, from the viewpoint of capital, is seen as the intensi
production in opposition to the living labor, which means reification-
labor, seen as alienation=externalization.

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productive forces; capitalist production historically forces it at the cost of a large number of
people. We have mentioned that value represents reification of the social relations of private
labor and that money as value-body (Wertkörper) functions as a community (Gemeinwesen) in
a totally commodity-producing and exchanging society. The ensuing consideration now leads us
to capital (as self-valorizing value), which monopolizes the function of the community in the
direct production process in opposition to laborers by means of organization of large-scale
cooperative production.
Es ist nachgewiesen worden
nicht nur fremd, sondern feindlich und gegensätzlich, un

licht und personificirt gegenübertritt.
[It has been demonstrated
only stand against him in an alien way but also in a ho

objectified and personified in the shape of capital.] (MEGA
The rule of things develops the socialization of th

marketization of society as well as the socialization of any
the same time, capital devastates nature in terms of objectiv
because it pursues the development of social productive forc
purpose of self-valorizing value. Thus, Marx ultimately deriv
things from material nature ruined and devastated by capital.
and alienation as two closely interrelated methodological
political economy are concerned, we could summarize them i
of alienation refers to a method according to which the auto
can be reformulated into a special mode of the living activit
that relate to their own objects as alien and hostile to thems
the theory of the process with the system as a subject can b
theory of action with individuals as subjects. Here, process-l
can be reinterpreted as the active moments of individuals ac
theory of alienation refers to the multiple modes of the form
system and deals with such themes as the split between l
competence of individual subjects to socialize themselves in a
method of Marx's critique of the political economy consis
alienation as two inseparably combined methodological eleme
the analysis of objects (as reified subjects), and the latter fo
under the power of things.
References
Abbreviation
MEW: Karl Marx- Friedrich Engels Werke, Diez Verlag, Berlin.
MEGA: Marx/ Engels Gesamtausgabe, Dietz Verlag oder Akademie Verlag, Berlin.
MECW: Marx- Engels- Collected Works, International Publishers, New York.
Karl Marx (1962), Das Kapital , Erster Band , MEW Bd. 23, Diez Verlag, Berlin.

142.150.190.39 on Mon, 19 Aug 2024 03:54:00 UTC
II/3.4, Diez Verlag, Berlin.
Berlin.
II/3.6, Diez Verlag, Berlin.
Diez Verlag, Berlin.
1863-1867, Teil 1, MEGA II/4.1, Diez Verlag, Berlin.
1875, MEGA II/7, Dietz Verlag, Berlin.

Tairako, Tomonaga (1983) Versachlichung und Verdingl
Hegeischen Dialektik. Zur Erschliessung der Logik der
Papers , Vol.12, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, pp.65-85.
Hokudai Economic Papers , Vol.14, Hokkaido Universit
Verkehrung," Boenisch, F. Fiedler, Ch. Iwasak

Beiträge japanischer Philosophen zu aktuellen Pr
Methode , Dietz Verlag Berlin, pp. 105- 123 und
Elemente zur Kritik der Werttheorie , Peter Lang, Be
von Georg Ludwig von Maurer, Carl-Erich Voll

(Hrsg.), Beiträge zur Marx- Engels- Forschun
Vorarbeiten Entwürfe und Exzerpte. Argument Ver
Notebooks on Maurer in MEGA IV/ 18, Hitotsubashi Jour

Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, January, pp. 1-10.
Reification and Their Logical Construction - , Hitotsub

48-1, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, January, pp. 1-26

142.150.190.39 on Mon, 19 Aug 2024 03:54:00 UTC

Tairako REIFICATIONTHINGIFICATIONALIENATION 2018

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REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION — BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S

CRITIQUE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND PRACTICAL MATERIALSM —

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44594760

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REIFICATION-THINGIFICATION AND ALIENATION

- BASIC CONCEPTS OF MARX'S CRITIQUE OF

* Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo

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relations of things (Sachen) to each other. The conversion

The following passage in Grundrisse helps us consider alienation in relation to reification-

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Geld) das Vertrauen schenken, was sie sich nicht

ihm nur als "Faustpfand der Gesellschaft aber solches Faust

economists say that people put their trust in a thing

money is such a mortgage only because of its socia

In the above-quoted passage, reification consists i

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Therefore, alienation and reification-thingification a

I. Alienation Presupposes Reification-thingification

Die der Arbeit entfremdete, verselbstständigte und verwandelte Gestalt der

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Verwirklichung der Arbeit ist ihre Vergegenständlich

die Bedeutung, nicht nur, daß seine Arbeit zu einem G

The externalization of the laborer not only signifies t

Descriptions similar to the above-quoted passages from

Indem daher die entfremdete Arbeit dem Menschen de

In sum, Marx's concept of alienation presupposes the thingification of production relations

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II. Max 's Concept of Capital - Capitalist Results from Capital

Now, we return to Economic Manuscripts preparing Capital.

lichte Arbeit zugleich als Nichtgegenständlichkeit des Arbeiters

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fremden Willens, ist das Capital nothwendig zugleich Capitalist

Capitals ist gesezt daß die objektiven Formen der Ar

objectified labor is at the same time established as th

concept of capital that the objective forms of labor - a

In order to precisely comprehend Marxs concept of

4 "Das Capital seinerseits erscheint daher als das übergreifende Subject u

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III. The Concept of Alienation in The Economic and Philosophical

der menschlichen Thätigkeit als Gattungsthätigkeit sind

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as a real genus activity , or as an activity of the human

human activity as a genus activity , national-economists are

Comprehending the division of labor as an alienated, ex

allgemeinen Hangs zum Handel und Austausch, si

inclination to trade and exchange, are found to be thrown,

division of labor , the increase of this division is always c

IV. Alienation in Exzerpte aus James Mill: Élémens ďéconomie politique

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economics in a fixed way grasps the alienated form

(1) Firstly, Marx grasps private property in terms

Das Wesen des Geldes ist zunächst

der menschliche, gesellschaftliche Akt, wodurch s

Operation mit denselben, wird zur Operation eines

daher das sich selbst abhanden gekommne, entfremdet

human operation towards them is transformed into th

actual God because the mediator is the actual power