Question

Is labor truly free to sell itself to employers under capitalism?

Answer 1

No, labor is not truly free to sell itself to employers under capitalism. According to Marx, under capitalism labour-power becomes a commodity which can be bought and sold on the market. A worker tries to sell their labour-power to an employer, in exchange for a salary or a wage. Labour power can also be sold by the worker on "own account", wherein he is self-employed, or can be sold by an intermediary like a hiring agency.

Although the worker is legal the owner of the labour power, and is allowed to sell it freely according to their wishes. However, most often the labour power trade is regulated by legislation, and thus the sale may not be termed truly "free" because it may be a forced sale for one cause or another, and indeed it may be sold and bought against the real wishes of the worker even although he holds the own labour power.