Define a Capital?

[Drace]

Can someone explain what a capital is and how this transfers to the name capitalism?

[trivas7]

Capital is the value which begets surplus value as result of the exploitation of wage labor. Materially, it is the money commodity that reproduces itself. Metaphysically, it is the predominant social relation of capitalist economies.

[#FF0000]

Why all the jargon? Do you think you're attracting anyone to the left with it?

Capital is material wealth that can be used to produce more wealth. Basically anything that can be used to turn a profit is capital, be it ungodly sums of money, land, a factory, a farm, or something as simple as a bunch of tomatoes one is going to sell or turn into ketchup or something.

[trivas7]

Why all the jargon? Do you think you're attracting anyone to the left with it?

Because it's accurate. Would that everyone were as precise.

[#FF0000]

Because it's accurate. Would that everyone were as precise.

It's accurate if you know the jargon. I'm sure you could break it all down into simpler and clearer English and have it be just as accurate.

:D :p Don't think I'm just calling you out, by the way. I a lot of people do it. I don't think it's good communication. Like I said, it just muddies the waters for people and turns them off of learning more.

[Decolonize The Left]

What is "capital?"

"the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation, etc." (dictionary.com)

"an accumulated stock of such wealth." (dictionary.com)

"any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth." (dictionary.com)

"Money (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/money) and wealth (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wealth). The means to acquire goods (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/goods) and services (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/services), especially in a non-barter (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/barter) system." (wiktionary.com)

"Already-produced durable goods available for use as a factor of production (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/factor_of_production), such as steam shovels (equipment) and office buildings (structures)." (wiktionary.com)

How does this "capital" transfer to the name/economic system of "capitalism?"

Simply because capitalism, as an economic theory, revolves around the accumulation of capital. The capitalist wants to accumulate capital, and further the value of said capital. This is accomplished primarily through the exploitation of the laborer, and this is engaged through the use of a wage (the amount of money equal to an hour of labor - yet this wage cannot be equal to the actual value of labor, for lack of profit/capital for the capitalist).

- August

[trivas7]

It's accurate if you know the jargon. I'm sure you could break it all down into simpler and clearer English and have it be just as accurate.

It's accurate because it's Marxian; there would be no need for economics if it were simple English.

[Drace]

So it is safe to talk of buisnesses when referring to of capitals?

[trivas7]

So it is safe to talk of buisnesses when referring to of capitals?
No, businesses are bourgeois corporate institutions, not capital.

[PigmerikanMao]

Capital, to be blunt, in the combination of money and resources allocated to create more capital. :laugh: