Re: (OPE-L) the specific social relations [of production] associated with value

From: Howard Engelskirchen (howarde@TWCNY.RR.COM)
Date: Thu Jun 03 2004 - 11:52:04 EDT


Hi Jerry,

Because I try to identify what Marx means when he calls value a social
relation, I find a relation of production -- at least a mediated relation of
production, as I explained.

As such it is causally efficacious.  That is, wherever the features that
characterize it exist, it tends to operate because of what those features
are.  What it is and what those features are I've explained in posts to
Paul.  So on that basis I disagree with the following:

> Simply because in Ancient Greece products were produced for exchange,
> were exchanged,  and had a utility does not mean that they had (in Marx's
> sense of the term) value.  Undoubtedly, those products had value in some
> _other_ sense of the term,  but value in the Marxian tradition refers most
> fundamentally to a specific social/class relationship.
>

Also the interpretation of the Marxian tradition you refer to probably needs
the qualifier "of the last couple of decades".

Howard


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