From: gerald_a_levy (gerald_a_levy@MSN.COM)
Date: Wed Jan 28 2004 - 19:18:45 EST
Cyrus wrote: > However, like Simon Moh[u]n, I do not think that the rate of surplus value > belongs to a firm or an industry. Such a rate is an aggregate > relationship > that is firmly connects with total social capital. As such, regardless of > the global unification of oil regions, the rate of surplus value for each > Middle Eastern oil country and that of the US is not a priori the same. Is it possible, though, to speak about the composition of capital in an individual branch of production (as Marx did)? If there is a composition of capital in individual branches of production and in the macroeconomy (and different compositions of capital in different macroeconomies), why aren't there also rates of surplus value in individual branches of production as well as an average rate in the macroeconomy? c, v, and s are all linked to the money-form so that can't be the reason. Since v is in the denominator of both rates, it follows that if one wants to make a claim about the rate of surplus value being only a macroeconomic rate, there must be something about s -- and _not_ v -- which requires that it can only be constituted at the macroeconomic level. Yet, what about _value_ production rather than _just_ surplus- value production? To be consistent, it seems to me that either c/v and s/v are macroeconomic rates only or they are rates that apply at both the level of individual branches of production and the macroeconomy. Can anyone on the list explain the 'macroeconomic only' interpretation(s) more fully? In solidarity, Jerry > > In the discussion on rent (on the list and in _Capital_), there is > > repeated reference to varying compositions of capital in different > > branches of production. E.g. see the quote from _Capital_ on AR > > in Paul Z's post yesterday. Indeed, Marx wrote an entire chapter in > > Volume 3 (Ch. 8) on "differing compositions of capital in differing > > branches of production....". > > * Would others agree that the composition of capital varies in > > different branches of production and is not _only_ "an overall > > macroeconomic category"? > > * If the composition of capital can vary in different branches of > > production, can't there also be different rates of surplus value > > in different branches of production?
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