[OPE-L:2326] Re: Carpe diem!

From: riccardo bellofiore (bellofio@cisi.unito.it)
Date: Wed Feb 09 2000 - 03:21:02 EST


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Dear Jerry,

        I had to stop. Italian University in general, and my in particular,
is under a thunderstorm of reforms (they call them in this way). In truth
it is a counter-revolution which will make our Faculties (and Economics)
very similar to B-USA Universities (if you understand what I mean): low
quality business schools. We are obliged to plan again the titles,
sequence, and content of courses, and as a Head of Dept. I have to manage
this at present, with meetings going on each day. I think it is a general
truth that left obtains very few power when the issue is to rule in a
situation of scarcity, and no possibility of social and cultural advance.

        The second reason is that I have to finish an entry on Marxian
economic thought, which at present is stopped but I have to close shortly.

        The third reason is that the last posts of Mike, Chris and Geert
are full of things that I accept, while there are some points on which I
disagree. As long as the question becomes more general, it is needed to
write longer posts. When I'll have the opportunity, I hope in April, I'll
take up again this thread.

        I received out of the lists some letters of approval and
disapproval. I thank for these. I would like only to remind that my
position in criticising value-form theories, sequential Marxists etc. is
definitely *not* one of a guy who is against the labour theory of value. As
somebody of you know, I read it as a macromonetary theory of class
exploitation and distribution. In this view, the 'transformation' is a
relatively minor problem; the true problem in the original presentation of
Marx is in his theory of money. I want to pursue an abstract labour theory
of value of the Marxian kind in a no-commodity money setting, and making
clear that I don't believe Marx was right in all his words.

        My view is shaped by a general view of Value theory. I send in
another post an entry I wrote some time ago for an Encyclopedia of
Political Economy which has been published by Routledge. The entry had
positive referees. It did not appear because it appeared too compplex for a
student of the third year of an Anglo-Saxon University (it was OK for
Italian 3rd year students till now: see above). I send it because, while
I'll be out of the list, it can give some idea to people in the list of a
reading of value theory which is mine, and that I guess is controversial.

best

riccardo

At 20:53 +0100 8-02-2000, Gerald Levy wrote:
>We seem to have slowed down dramatically. The "money supply" thread
>appears to be over (unless someone chooses to resurrect it) and the
>"value-form theory" thread appears to be paused (although, I wouldn't at
>all be surprised if it takes off again after Geert's much-anticipated
>upcoming post[s]). Anyway, what else, in addition to VFT, would you like
>to discuss now?
>
>||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
>
>* Perhaps we could discuss one or more papers on a specific topic? Does
> anyone have any paper or research-in-progress that they would like
> feedback on?
>* Are there any contemporary political economic developments that we
> should have a discussion on now?
>* Any "extending Marx" issues that you want to discuss now?
>* Any recent books, authors, articles that should be critically
> evaluated?
>* Any threads from the past that you think are important for us to
> re-visisit?
>|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
>
>This list is what *you* make it! Consequently, don't wait for others to
>take the initiative. Carpe diem!
>
>In solidarity, Jerry

        Riccardo Bellofiore
Office: Department of Economics
        Piazza Rosate, 2
        I-24129 Bergamo, Italy
Home: Via Massena, 51
        I-10128 Torino, Italy
e-mail bellofio@cisi.unito.it, bellofio@unibg.it
tel: +39 035 277545 (direct)
        +39 035 277501 (dept. secr.)
        +39 011 5819619 (home)
fax: +39 035 249975



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