Gil replied [OPE-L:4738] ------------------------ Julian excerpts the following truncated passage from me > >... D) As noted before, the key systemic basis for surplus value is capital >scarcity. ... capitalist exploitation can be eliminated simply through >sufficient wealth redistribution. and asks >I don't get it: if the cause of capitalism is capital scarcity, how does >re-distributing what is already insufficient abolish it? You ellipsed out the key part of the passage, Julian. ----------------------- Having looked at this again, I now see what Gil was getting at -- it's the scarcity of capital *in the hands of the workers* which underpins capitalism. This, I think, is something we can all agree on (he said provocatively). I don't think I'd go along with Gil, tho', in describing this as "systemic scarcity". While it's true that the scarcity -- from the workers' point of view -- is a product of the system, Gil's phrasing suggests (at least to me) *all-round* scarcity. I think this echo of neo-classicism stunned me into overlooking the force of the words I excised in my response. Julian
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