relative surplus value, n.All

Relative surplus value (n.) needs ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠nothing less than a revolution in the technical processes of labour and in the groupings into which society is divided.

Relative surplus value (n.) comes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not from lengthening the working day but from shrinking the part of it the worker works for himself.

Relative surplus value (n.) lengthens ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠unpaid work without lengthening the day: when the paid part shrinks, two free hours more for capital are the same as two more hours of toil.

Relative surplus value (n.) breeds ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠novelty: when machines free up capital and workers, a whole new branch of industry must be conjured to soak them up and feed a new need.

Relative surplus value (n.) grows ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠more slowly than productivity: doubling output divides the worker’s share of the day rather than doubling the surplus, so each gain buys capital less.

Relative surplus value (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠where capital's distinctive historic character shows: it shrinks the labour time and the labouring population a society needs.

Relative surplus value (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠absolute, since it needs the day prolonged beyond necessary labour; absolute surplus-value is relative, since it needs productivity enough to confine necessary labour to part of the day.