In like manner, when we speak of “the monopolisation of the means of production” or of “wage labour,” we are really talking about the relationships between individuals. What, in fact, does “monopolisation” signify? It signifies that persons work under such conditions that those who labour do so with means of production belonging to others; it signifies that the workers are subordinated to the owners of these means of production, namely to the capitalists. In a word, here also we are concerned with the question. What are the mutual relationships between individuals when they produce goods? The mutual relationships between individuals during the process of production are termed the relationships of production.
It is easy to see that the relationships of production have not always been the same. Very long ago, when people lived in small communities, they worked together in comradely fashion (hunting, fishing, gathering fruit and roots), and they divided everything among themselves. Here we have one kind of relationships of production. In the days of slavery, the relationships of production were of another kind. Under capitalism there is a third kind of relationships. There are, therefore, various kinds of relationships of production. We speak of these kinds of relationships of production as the economic systems (types) of society or as the methods of production.
“CAPITALIST RELATIONSHIPS OF PRODUCTION,” OR IN OTHER WORDS “A CAPITALIST TYPE OF SOCIETY,” OR “THE CAPITALIST METHOD OF PRODUCTION” — THESE TERMS EXPRESS THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS IN A COMMODITY ECONOMY CHARACTERISED BY THE MONOPOLY OWNERSHIP OF THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION ON THE PART OF A SMALL GROUP OF CAPITALISTS, AND CHARACTERISED BY WAGE LABOUR ON THE PART OF THE WORKING CLASS.