[OPE-L:7032] Re: unresolved issues about how contemporary capitalism works

From: Michael Perelman (michael@ECST.CSUCHICO.EDU)
Date: Sat Apr 20 2002 - 12:08:07 EDT


How do the value theoretic questions on the list relate to the more
concrete questions?

On Sat, Apr 20, 2002 at 06:47:40AM -0400, gerald_a_levy wrote:
> Re Simon's [7028]:
> 
> > It seems to me that what we call it doesn't much matter. But there are a
> > whole host of unresolved issues about how contemporary capitalism works.
> > For example:
> > 1. What determines the value of labour power and wages?
> > 2. What determines the value of money?
> > 3. What is the predominant pattern today of technical progress? Has it
> > changed? If so, why?
> > 4. Why has the rate of profit been rising in major capitalist economies
> > since 1982 or so?
> > 5. (If you believe in the distinction) what are the consequences of the
> > continuous steady rise in unproductive labour over the last third of the
> 20C?
> > 6. Why is inflation so low? (Or, why was it so high in the 70s and 80s?)
> > 7. What are the economic mechanisms of imperialism?
> > 8. If finance is an unproductive sector, why is it so predominant?
> > 9. How do financial derivatives and associated products connect with value
> > theory?
> > 10. What determines exchange rate movements?
> > (And more generally:
> > 11. Why is Marxism so male? (Look for example at OPE-L.)
> > 12. What do we mean by socialism, and how do we think it might work?
> > And I could go on.)
> 
> Go on  ... * PLEASE *.
> 
> In solidarity, Jerry
> 

-- 
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael@ecst.csuchico.edu



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