Re: [OPE-L] Marx on the 'maximum rate of profit'

From: Paul Zarembka (zarembka@BUFFALO.EDU)
Date: Sat Oct 14 2006 - 08:02:22 EDT


Ajit,

Thanks for answering.  I know I was asking a simple question but those
are often the hardest to answer.  For myself, I believe that joint
production is a significant problem.

Still, I wonder at your remark on Oct. 12: "You can have increasing
productivity with falling organic composition of capital and you can
have decreasing productivity with rising composition of capital."

Given that you say C or C+V cannot be measured, I wonder why you discuss
organic composition of capital at all.  But then I'm probably missing
something else in your argumentation; perhaps a different definition of
organic composition than I am familiar with.

Paul

Quoting ajit sinha <sinha_a99@YAHOO.COM>:

> Paul, joint production has nothing to do with it. This
> is quite well known--check Sraffa's chapter on dated
> labor approach or Steedman's 'Marx after Sraffa'.
> Actually the thing is clear in Ricado as well. If you
> are asking me to work out the capital theory debate
> here, then right now I don't have time for it--I'm
> working on Ricardo right now, when I come to Sraffa,
> I'll send you the chapter that will explain all that.
> Cheers, ajit
>
> --- Paul Zarembka <zarembka@BUFFALO.EDU> wrote:
>
> > Ajit, I was principally asking about the basis of
> > your concern expressed
> >  by saying "capital cannot be measured by direct and
> > indirect labor-time".
> >
> > For either C or C+V, is your concern joint
> > production or something
> > more/else?  C'est la question.  Paul Z.
> >
> > Quoting ajit sinha <sinha_a99@YAHOO.COM>:
> >
> > > --- Paul Zarembka <zarembka@BUFFALO.EDU> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Ajit, Are you refering to the problem of joint
> > > > production in the
> > > > measurement of "C" (you mention "capital") or
> > > > something else?  If
> > > > something else, what specifically?  Thanks, Paul
> > > ______________________
> > > I mean (C+V) but it would also be correct if you
> > take
> > > only C and leave the V out. ajit
> > > >
> > > > Quoting ajit sinha <sinha_a99@YAHOO.COM>:
> > > >
> > > > > > > You should
> > > > > > > note that it is well accepted that the
> > formula
> > > > for
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > rate of profits as S/(C+V) is wrong, so
> > you
> > > > need
> > > > > > to
> > > > > > > check Sraffa to see whether the
> > proposition
> > > > you
> > > > > > think
> > > > > > > is obvious is all that obvious or not.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Ajit, please tell us in what respect S/(C+v)
> > is
> > > > > > wrong according to
> > > > > > others.  There are a lot of dimensions of
> > this
> > > > issue
> > > > > > and I cannot tell
> > > > > > which you are referring to.
> > > > > ________________________
> > > > > Simple, capital cannot be measured by direct
> > and
> > > > > indirect labor-time. Cheers, ajit sinha


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