[OPE-L:6839] Re: surplus value, commercial workers and merchant capital

From: glevy@pop-b.pratt.edu
Date: Fri Mar 29 2002 - 15:11:10 EST


Re Ian's [6838]:

> I agree that Marx's view of commercial profit within the capitalist > mode of production is that it is a redistribution of surplus value > created elsewhere: however, Marx accepts that commercial profit of > a pre-capitalist kind can still be earned to the extent that 
>  'backward conditions' can prevail in a capitalist system.

I agree that the redistribution of surplus value does not explain the whole picture where 'backward conditions' (what a terrible expression!) prevail. In order to explain this and the wider global context, we not only have to look at the distribution of surplus value but also at the distribution of *wealth*.  Moreover, the distinction between surplus value and *surplus product* also has important meaning.

In solidarity, Jerry



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