From: Andrew Brown (Andrew@LUBS.LEEDS.AC.UK)
Date: Mon May 12 2003 - 09:58:06 EDT
Paul, > RE "failing to break from classical political economy sufficiently" by > the Hegelian-inspired, do you mean that they fail to appreciate the > importance of the constitution of abstract labor under the capitalist > mode of production? My meaning was obscured by over long sentences! I was, in this particular over-long sentence, simply trying to summarise the relevant position of Hegel-inspired systematic dialectics. I was not accusing Hegel-inspired systematic dialectics of failing to break from classical political economy. Rather, I was reporting the fact that Hegel-inspired systematic dialecticians sometimes accuse Marx of this alleged error. To clarify my summary it is useful to consider just one phrase: 'embodied labour'. Accoding to Hegel- inspired systematic dialectics it is an unhelpful metaphor to consider products to be, in general, embodiments of labour. Classical political economy made this mistake of seeing products as, in general, embodiments of labour. Marx at certain points in his writings makes this mistake also. We must, according to Hegel- inspired systematic dialectics, reject these aspects of Marx, whilst embracing the positive contributions of Marx, concerning the systematic development of the value-*form*. I disagree with Hegel-inspired systematic dialectics. I argue that products are, in general, embodiments of labour. This is not a metaphor. In capitalism it is necessary, but not sufficient, to recognise that products are embodiments of labour. In capitalism abstract labour has become a 'substance' in the precise philosophical meaning of that term. Values are congelations of this peculiar substance. This is not metaphorical, though it is a very peculiar, statement. Value is a very peculiar thing. Hegel-inspired systematic dialectics ultimately fails to fathom these peculiarities in my view. Also, if you have an article on your position, > please let us know. Thanks. I have a well-polished chapter in my PhD (the PhD is called 'Critical Realism, Value and Capital') but not a journal article. Once teaching is over I will undertake the task of turning the PhD material into the format for journal articles. I'd be delighted to send anyone the PhD ch. (or chs), in the unlikley event that anyone should be interested. Many thanks Andy > > Paul > > ********************************************************************** > * "Confronting 9-11, Ideologies of Race, and Eminent Economists", Vol. > 20 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL ECONOMY, Paul Zarembka, editor, Elsevier > Science ******************** > http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PZarembka
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