 When there are spheres of production in which certain natural conditions of production, such as for example arable land, coal seams, iron mines, waterfalls, etc., without which the production process cannot be carried out, without which commodities cannot be produced in this sphere, when there are spheres of production in which these natural conditions are in the hands of others than the proprietors or owners of the materialized labor, the capitalists, then this second type of proprietor of the conditions of production will say, if I let you have this condition of production for your use, then you will make your average profit. You will appropriate the normal quantity of unpaid labor, but your production yields an excess of surplus value of unpaid labor above the rate of profit. This excess you will not throw into the common account, as is usual with you, but I'm going to appropriate it myself. It belongs to me. This transaction should suit you because your capital yields you just the same in this sphere of production as in any other, and besides, this is a very solid branch of production. Apart from the 10% unpaid labor which constitutes the average profit, your capital will also provide a further 20% of additional unpaid labor here. This you will pay over to me, and in order to do so, you add 20% unpaid labor to the price of the commodity, and this you simply do not account for with the other capitalists. Just as your ownership of one condition of production, that is materialized labor, enables you to appropriate a certain quantity of unpaid labor from the workers, so my ownership of the other condition of production, the land, etc., enables me to intercept and divert away from you in the entire capitalist class that part of unpaid labor which is excessive to your average profit. Your law will have it that under normal circumstances, capitals of equal size appropriate equal quantities of unpaid labor, and you capitalists can force each other into this position by competition among yourselves. Well, I happen to be applying this law to you. You are not to appropriate any more of the unpaid labor of your workers than you could with the same capital in any other sphere production, but the law has nothing to do with the excess of unpaid labor which you have produced over the normal quota. Who is going to prevent me from appropriating this excess? Why should I act according to your custom, and throw it into the common pot of capital to be shared out among the capitalist class, so that everyone should draw out a part of it in accordance with his share in the aggregate capital? I am not a capitalist. The condition of production which I allow you to utilize is not materialized labor, but a natural phenomenon. Can you manufacture land or water or mines or coal pits? Certainly not. The means of compulsion which can be applied to you in order to make you release again a part of the surplus labor you have managed to get hold of does not exist for me, so out with it. The only thing your brother capitalist can do is compete against you, not against me. If you pay me less excess profit than the difference between the surplus time you have made and the quota of surplus labor due to you according to the rule of capital, your brother capitalist will appear on the scene, and by their competition will force you to pay me fairly the full amount I have the power to squeeze out of you.