#+title: wages are determined by the cost of the reproduction of the worker
- tags :: [[file:20200716145740-wages.org][wages]] [[file:20201111222005-capital.org][capital]] [[file:20200716135348-labor_power.org][labor-power]]
- source :: [[file:literature/20200611201816-capital.org][Capital Vol. 1]]

In Capital Vol. 1, [[file:20200611202011-marx.org][Marx]] hypothesizes that wages are determined by the cost of
the reproduction of the worker. [[file:20210130181335-workers_only_have_their_labor_power_to_sell.org][Workers only have their labor-power to sell]], and
as such must reproduce their labor-power day-to-day. This would mean being able
to purchase [[file:20210130181502-means_of_subsistence.org][means of subsistence]] such as food and housing.

I think Marx was mostly right about this, however I think that in places like
the United States the picutre is more complicated, as many workers make less
than the cost of reproducing themselves.