The Theoretical Field of Abstract Labor

This article examines the epistemological foundations of abstract labor and its role in Marx's critique of classical political economy, drawing on Althusser's concept of the "theoretical field." It highlights how classical political economy's categories render certain social phenomena invisible, particularly the specific social form of capitalist labor. Heinrich's analysis redefines abstraction as a social practice, emphasizing the mediation between private and social dimensions of labor through market exchange. The article explores how exploitation, in its capitalist form, is mediated by the temporal and logical interplay between production and circulation. By situating abstract labor within the capitalist totality, it underscores its pivotal role in understanding the commodity form and the broader social nexus of capitalist modernity.