RE: [OPE] "Parasitism"

> , would society become any wealthier? Would it be any different if this service was privatized?
> In both cases, the answer is no.
 
Hi Paula:
 
Well, are we talking about the type of labor which can increase the wealth of the nation or
the type of labor which is productive of surplus value? These are different questions.
 
I would say that if there is labor employed by capital to cut hair then that labor is
productive of s and the haircuts _do_ represent an increase in social wealth. In the same
way, a private firm which is an opera company both employs labor which is
productive of s and the music itself represents an increase in social wealth. Why not?
You might say that the music or haircuts in that concrete form (as a particular
kind of musical performance or haircut) can't be 'accumulated'. That misses the
point, imo. It can allow for the accumulation _of capital_. Whether commodities take
the form of a product which can be accumulated _as commodities_ or not does not
determine whether the labor allows for the accumulation _of capital_.
 
In solidarity, Jerry

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Received on Mon Feb 23 08:07:46 2009