Commodity fetishism

In Marxist theory, commodity fetishism is an inauthentic state of social relations, said to arise in complex capitalist market systems, where social relationships are confused with their medium, the commodity. The term is introduced in the opening chapter of Karl Marx's main work of political economy, Capital, (1867).

Related Topics:
Marxist - Inauthentic - Social relations - Capitalist - Karl Marx - Political economy - Capital - 1867

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Marx's use of the term fetish can be interpreted as an ironic comment on the 'rational', 'scientific' mindset of industrial capitalist societies. In Marx's day, the word was primarily used in the study of primitive religions; Marx's 'Fetishism of Commodities' might be seen as identifying just such primitive belief systems at the heart of modern society.

Related Topics:
Fetish - Industrial - Religion

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In most subsequent Marxist thought, commodity fetishism is defined as an illusion arising from the central role that private property plays in capitalism's social processes. It is a central component of the dominant ideology in capitalist societies.

Related Topics:
Illusion - Private property - Dominant ideology

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