Definition:
The concept of “Fetishism of Commodities” appears in Karl Marx’s magnum opus, “Capital: Volume I”. It refers to the distorted relationship between individuals and the products of their own labor under capitalism.
Core Idea:
In capitalism, commodities are given a value as if they have intrinsic worth, independent of the labor that produced them. This mystifies the real social relationships between people and instead makes it seem like a relationship between objects.
What does ‘fetishism’ mean here?
- Fetishism is the attribution of magical or supernatural qualities to objects.
- In Marxist terms, commodities appear to have value by themselves, hiding the labor that created them.
- This is similar to religious fetishism, where humans worship objects (idols) as if they have power.
Marx’s Logic:
- Commodities are products of human labor.
- But in a market, they are exchanged not as labor, but by their exchange value (money, price).
- So people don’t see the human effort involved—just the price tag.
- This leads to alienation and misrecognition of value.
Example 1: Branded Shoes
- A pair of Nike shoes costs ₹10,000.
- The buyer sees it as a high-value item—due to brand and market perception.
- But the actual labor behind the shoes:
- Factory worker in Vietnam earns ₹300/day.
- Worker’s effort and poor conditions are invisible.
- People think the shoes are expensive because of their intrinsic quality, not the exploitative labor process behind them.
This is commodity fetishism—the social labor behind the product is hidden, and the product seems magical or inherently valuable.
Example 2: Smartphones
- You buy an iPhone for ₹1,20,000.
- The price is justified by “features” and “status symbol”.
- But the rare metals (cobalt, lithium) come from dangerous mines in Congo, and assembled in low-wage Chinese factories.
- These human relations and exploitation are masked—you see only the shiny gadget and price.
Impact of Commodity Fetishism:
| Aspect | Impact |
|---|---|
| Alienation | Workers are alienated from their labor; they don’t see the product as their own. |
| Exploitation Hidden | Consumers don’t see how much labor went into the commodity or how workers are exploited. |
| Social Relations Obscured | The market appears to be relationships between things (commodities), not people. |
| False Consciousness | People believe in the “power” of objects, ignoring class dynamics and production conditions. |
Fetishism vs Reality:
| Commodity | What You See | What’s Hidden |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Ring | Love, Luxury | African child labor, poor mining conditions |
| Coffee | Morning energy, Aroma | Poor wages to farmers, global supply chains |
| Fashion | Style, Status | Sweatshops, fast fashion exploitation |
Marx’s Own Words:
“A commodity appears, at first sight, an extremely obvious, trivial thing. But its analysis brings out that it is a very strange thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.”
— Karl Marx, Capital Vol I
Contemporary Relevance:
- In consumer culture, we treat products like symbols of success or identity.
- But rarely do we think about who made them, under what conditions, and how capital benefits.
- Fetishism still shapes global capitalism, keeping consumers disconnected from producers.