supposed of equal labour to that of producing an ounce of
Silver" (p. 66).

This is, to begin with, the "real and not an imaginary way
of computing the prices of Commodities" (p. 66). ¹

The second point which has now to be examined is the
value of labour:

"for then the Law that appoints such Wages were ill made,
but which would allow the Labourer but just wherewithal
to live; for if you allow double, then he works but half so
much as he could have done, and otherwise would; which
is a loss to the Publick of the fruit of so much labour" (page 64).

This passage is to be understood as follows: If the worker
were to get for six hours' labour the value of six hours, he
would get twice as much as he now gets when he is given the
value of six hours' labour (for twelve hours' labour). He will
then work only six hours.

The value of labour is therefore determined by the necessary
means of subsistence. The worker is impelled to produce
surplus value and to perform surplus labour only by the fact
that he is forced to use the whole of the labour power within
his capacity in order to get for himself just as much as he
needs to live. The cheapness or dearness of his labour, however,
is determined by two factors: natural productivity, and the
standard of expenditure (needs) conditioned by the climate:

"Natural dearness and cheapness depends upon the few
or more hands requisite to necessaries of Nature: As Corn
is cheaper where one man produces Corn for ten, then where
he can do the like but for six; and withal, according as the

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