[OPE-L:7920] Re: relation of value to organic composition of capital

From: gerald_a_levy (gerald_a_levy@msn.com)
Date: Tue Nov 05 2002 - 20:08:25 EST


Re Andy's [7915]:

> I'm not clear how you would *distinguish* between the VCC and the 
> OCC on your own interpretation. Hence, also, I'm not clear what 
> the dialectical unity would be uniting.  
> On my interpretation of the above cite of Marx, the OCC will *only* 
> change if the TCC changes. 

I would say, rather, that Marx asserts that  *both* TCC  and  VCC must 
change for the OCC to change.  Thus the OCC can only increase if:
a) the TCC increases, and
b) the VCC increases.

> This has the relevant implication that 
> the OCC does not change due to changes in the *value* of the 
> components of the TCC. 

Well, the TCC by definition isn't a measure of value.  The "relevant
implication" is that when there has been a change in the VCC ***to
the extent that the VCC 'mirrors' changes in the TCC*** then the
OCC will change.  The interesting question then becomes: what
happens if there is a change in the VCC which is *not* 'mirrored'
by and 'determined' by a change in the TCC? In that circumstance,
there could be a change in the VCC but not a change in the OCC,
couldn't there be?

> <snip, JL> In other words, the 
> OCC is a category of production and abstracts away from changes 
> in values due to the exchange process (e.g. distribution of SV 
> according to profit rate equalistion), only taking into account 
> changes in the TCC. The VCC is a category of exchange and so 
> does not abstract from changes in value due to exchange. 

I disagree.  The OCC is no more a category of production alone
than is the VCC.   

> The OCC will only change if the TCC changes. 

Yes, and the OCC will only change if the VCC also changes.

> Hence the  VCC is more concrete than the OCC.

I still don't 'get' it.   Why the 'hence'?  Because the VCC 
supposedly, by your reading, is a 'category of exchange' which
somehow makes it more concrete? 

What do others on the list think?

In solidarity, Jerry


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