Relations of production is a concept frequently used by Karl Marx in his theory of historical materialism and in Das Kapital. Beyond examining specific cases, Marx never defined the general concept exactly. It is evident, though, that it refers to all kinds of social and technical human interconnections involved in the social production and reproduction of material life. "Social" denotes belonging, group membership and co-operative activity.

It is nnother way of referring to the class structure. The social relations of production refers to the social relationships that people enter into in the production or delivery of goods and services. From a Marxist perspective these relationships are inevitably those of owners and non-owners or those who control the work  or means of production and those who do not control the work and means of production. In this way of thinking, social class is founded on the economy of any society and it is the pattern of class relations that give a society its central character.

See also Means of Production

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