Re: [OPE-L] Sraffa's Contribution to Marxian Political Economy

From: Gary Mongiovi (MONGIOVG@STJOHNS.EDU)
Date: Tue Feb 27 2007 - 12:28:27 EST 

Hi. Solow criticized the assumption of equal rates of SV, on the ground that there is no mechanism that can bring about that equalization. He contrasted that case with the equalization of profit rates, which, in the absence of impediments to the movement of capital, is brought about by intersectoral capital flows.
 
Regards,
 
Gary
 
-----Original Message----- 
From: OPE-L on behalf of ajit sinha 
Sent: Tue 2/27/2007 12:24 PM 
To: OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU 
Cc: 
Subject: Re: [OPE-L] Sraffa's Contribution to Marxian Political Economy



	Thanks Jerry! It sounds more like a critique of Marx
	rather than Sraffa. Are you sure he criticised the
	assumption of equal rate of surplus value and not
	equal rate of profits? cheers, ajit sinha
	
	--- Jerry Levy <Gerald_A_Levy@MSN.COM> wrote:
	
	> >  I would be interested in knowing what Solow had
	> to say.
	>
	> Hi Ajit:
	>
	> I didn't take notes and am not sure I remembered all
	> of the points he made
	> or can recount them accurately.  (He spoke for quite
	> a while, at least
	> as long as those who were making presentations.)
	> Perhaps Gary and/or
	> Riccardo can fill-in or correct the following
	> points:
	>
	> i) he was surprised (and humored) by the attention
	> which Sraffa's archives
	> has drawn.
	>
	> ii) he recounted discussions he had with PS  and his
	> impressions of him
	> which were generally favorable. Clearly, he
	> respected PS as a peer
	> and scholar.
	>
	>  iii) he criticized the assumption of  a equal rate
	> of surplus (value) as
	> not having a real base. In other words, it was
	> assumed for reasons
	> of mathematical convenience.  He also discussed the
	> issue of
	> the amounts of unknowns in Sraffa's theory and the
	> choices that
	> were made about limiting the quantity of unknowns.
	>
	> iv) he criticized  the point on the wage-rate of
	> profit  frontier
	> where the rate of profit equals zero.  At that
	> point, he claimed
	> 'exploitation' had no meaning.  He did add, though,
	> that he
	> was not opposed to a claim that there is
	> exploitation in the
	> real world. (*)
	>
	> In solidarity, Jerry
	>
	> (*)  iii and iv could be seen as similar objections
	> in the
	> sense that both imply that Sraffa's theory
	> over-simplified the
	> subject matter for reasons of mathematical
	> expedience. A fair
	> criticism perhaps, but from someone who developed a
	> one-sector
	> growth model?
	>
	> In solidarity, Jerry
	>
	
	
	
	
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