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At 15:58 +0100 28-02-2000, Prof. Ernesto Screpanti wrote:
>(ii) that capitalist
>>exploitation is not possible without market as the aim of the production
>>process;
>
>I do not understand. Market is not an end. Profits or
>accumulation/valorization could be ends.
>
Capitalism is production for the market.
>(iii) that dynamic competition is essential to capitalism. Hence,
>>it is doubtful if Soviet exploitation was capitalist exploitation. In my
>>view, it was worse that that from certain points of view.
>
>In my view the Soviet system was an inefficient form of capitalism,
>precisely because it was incapable of stimulating innovation.
I guess there is "some" link between the presence innovation and the market
(Marx's competitive struggle; not the perfect competition market, of
course!). This should be developed further.
>But it was
>capitalism anyway to the extent that 1) workers were exploited in the labour
>process, 2) surplus value was used to sustain capitalist accumulation.
Frankly, I don't know. Exploitation in my view is not simply the pressure
on the effort of workers. And, by the way, are we sure this pressure was
always so hard on Soviet workers? Surplus value is not surplus product to
be reinvested, it is objectified living labour in excess of necessary
labour sold on the market against money, and reinvested to maximize
(capitalist) wealth. So, I do not understand your use of the terms 'surplus
value' and 'capitalist accumulation'.
I agree with Ernesto that a tough criticism towards the Soviet system is in
order. But I would guess that the Soviet system was some kind of mixture
between capitalism and something else (a very, very special slave system?).
riccardo
Riccardo Bellofiore
Office: Department of Economics
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