What is the difference between absolute surplus value and relative surplus value?

The difference between absolute surplus value and relative surplus value is: different production conditions and different sources of acquisition.

1. Different production conditions

1. Absolute surplus value: produced by absolutely extending the working day and thus the surplus labor time under the condition that the necessary labor time remains unchanged. of residual value.

2. Relative surplus value: The surplus value generated by shortening necessary labor time and correspondingly extending surplus labor time under the condition that the length of the working day remains unchanged.

2. Different sources of acquisition

1. Absolute residual value: Absolute residual value is the residual value obtained by the enterprise and created by the employees of the main enterprise.

2. Relative surplus value: Relative surplus value is the surplus value obtained by an enterprise and created by employees of other enterprises.

Extended information:

Capitalists extend the working day as much as possible in order to extract more surplus value. However, the extension of the working day was restricted by physiological and moral boundaries, especially the resistance struggle of the working class, which forced the bourgeoisie to enact laws to limit the working day to a certain length.

Under the condition that the length of the working day remains unchanged, if capitalists want to increase the degree of exploitation of workers, they must change the ratio of the working day into necessary labor time and surplus labor time. The prerequisite for changing this ratio is to shorten necessary labor time.

Assume that the working day is 8 hours, of which necessary labor time and surplus labor time are 4 hours each, and the surplus value rate is 100%. If the length of the working day is still 8 hours, the necessary labor time is shortened from 4 hours to 2 hours, the remaining labor time is correspondingly extended from 4 hours to 6 hours, and the surplus value rate is increased from 100% to 300%.

Under the premise that the length of the working day is determined, the necessary labor time is negatively related to the remaining labor time. The shorter the necessary labor time, the longer the remaining labor time.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Absolute residual value

Baidu Encyclopedia - Relative residual value