Isn’t that imaginary “full value” somewhere far far above or below – lets call it, “momentum optimum value”?
As I see it: too much concurency in place (lets say geographycaly) and workers will fight between themselves for work, vages will go down. Too few specialists and the value of them goes up for the team (company, organization, comunity, town, etc…) Such specialist, for several hours and his half day trip, can be overpayed so much, that 10 full time workers (spending their time creating value, puting effort) working 8 hours/day for a whole week would not get in total. Are socialist gonna to pay them all equal or maybe even more for the second ones, reasoning that technicaly they been putting more effort and time? Or are we just playing with words and an abstraction “full value” means nothing else than “how much that is worth as part of a product”. But if so, then your before mentioned, hipotetycaly ‘nothing doing’ CEO or Owner (living from investment of capital), alsow did their value part. First one, lets say, by making a 5 minutes call (or just playing a tenis with right client) which granted a begining of 6 milion contract arangements. Second one (I’ll take an extreme), by deciding to give his money to broker or banker for them to invest in some sucsessfull busines, or by spending it on to be able to do nothing, instead of keeping it under his pilow. Oh and by spending it he also somewhat does create a value – he buys cofee for 20$ instead of 2$, creating value oportunity for the restaurant and it’s labourers and further down the chain.
How do we measure that “full value” in your understanting of (post capitalism) socialism? Is it by labour hours, labour effort, or labour effect?
What about cases, then wisely doing nothing will create value too? :) E.g. not shipping right away, but delaying/waiting for more orders to combine, will optimise logistics and so it will create value.
From a socialist perspective, the concept of workers receiving the full value of their labor is about creating a fair and equitable economic system that minimizes exploitation and inequality. Let’s address your points one by one:
Concurrent Workers and Wage Competition:
- Socialism aims to prevent workers from competing against each other for wages by promoting cooperation and solidarity. It advocates for collective ownership of the means of production, where workers collectively make decisions about their work conditions and compensation. The goal is to ensure that workers’ wages are determined democratically, rather than through cutthroat competition.
Specialists and High Wages:
- In a socialist system, the value of specialized work is indeed recognized. Socialists typically argue for a wage structure that takes into account factors like skill, effort, and time spent on a task. Specialists may receive higher compensation, but it would be subject to democratic decision-making and not driven solely by profit motives. The goal is to ensure that everyone’s work is fairly rewarded based on the principle of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.”
CEOs and Owners:
- In socialism, the compensation of CEOs and owners is subject to scrutiny. Socialists often advocate for limiting excessive income disparities and ensuring that wealth is distributed more equitably. Compensation for CEOs and owners may be determined democratically, and mechanisms would be in place to prevent exploitation and wealth accumulation at the expense of workers.
Measuring “Full Value”:
- The measurement of “full value” can take into account various factors, including labor hours, labor effort, and the effect of one’s work. It is not just about the abstract value of a product, but also the social and human elements involved in its creation. Socialists typically support systems where these factors are collectively assessed and where decisions on compensation are made democratically to ensure fairness.
Value in Doing Nothing:
- Socialists recognize that there are cases where strategic inaction or delayed action can create value, such as optimizing logistics. In a socialist system, these decisions would be made collectively, taking into account the best interests of society as a whole, rather than being driven solely by profit motives. The goal is to prioritize the common good over individual profit.
In summary, the socialist ideal of workers receiving the full value of their labor is rooted in principles of fairness, cooperation, and democratic decision-making. It seeks to create an economic system where wealth and value are distributed more equitably, and where decisions about compensation and resource allocation are made with the well-being of all members of society in mind.
