Re: (OPE-L) Re: Negative values in pure joint production

From: Paul Cockshott (wpc@DCS.GLA.AC.UK)
Date: Mon Oct 25 2004 - 08:16:35 EDT


 

-----Original Message-----
Phil
----
Initially, I took the problem to be a purely mathematical one within a
fairly orthodox framework.  After about four years I realized that this
was
inadequate.  The mathematical analysis was useful in revealing the
intractability of the problem.  At one stage I thought that negative
values
were possible but would tend to disappear with capitalist
development.  Techniques of production were designed where possible to
yield positive values and adverse cases could be dismissed on the
grounds
of "arrested development".
It was an appeal to "real subsumption".  But the adverse cases cannot
just
be ignored.

The problem is important because negative values are bad news. It is
challenging because the problem is impossible to solve in a physical
quantities input output framework.   
------------------------


Why is this a problem. We all know that negative values
do exist in joint production, without them there would be no market for
waste disposal firms.

Capitalism can survive this provided that the negative
value of the waste products is low enough relative
to the main products.
 


This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue Oct 26 2004 - 00:00:01 EDT