Information as Commodity

Acts of enclosure on creativity and mental labor

Commodities

A commodity contains within it three values:

1. Use-value: value derived from its ability to satisfy some kind of human need based on its tangible attributes

2. Labor value: value derived from the labor put into producing it and not some other good

3. Exchange value: value in relation to other commodities for the purpose of trading.

All of these values are subjective and socially derived.

1. A use-value only exists so long as there is someone to derive utility from it.

2. A labor value only exists so long as there is someone to convert potential use values into real use values.

3. An exchange value only exists as a measure of a commodity’s relation to other commodities.

However, potential use-value and potential labor value are at least somewhat based in a commodity’s inherent material characteristics, whereas exchange value is purely extrinsic. Taking land as an example: an unimproved plot with hunting grounds, a stream, and a clean spring contains more potential use-value than an unimproved plot i…