RE: [OPE] Value as worth & cockroaches

Why do you say that?
If the insecticide did not work it is likely that it would not sell at its full value and would have to be discounted by the state wholesalers. The planners on seeing this would scale back production of that line. This does not deal with the problem of whether the chemical industry in Cuba in the 1960s had the ability to synthesise pyrethrins or DDT. If they lacked that basic capacity, no monkeying around with prices would lead to proper insecticide.

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From: ope-bounces@lists.csuchico.edu [ope-bounces@lists.csuchico.edu] On Behalf Of Alejandro Agafonow [alejandro_agafonow@yahoo.es]
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 10:00 AM
To: OPE List
Subject: [OPE] Value as worth & cockroaches

Che Guevara cited in Helen Yaffe’s The Economics of Revolution:

«…but the sad reality is that this product to kill cockroaches is coming out with terrible quality, and I am receiving many complaints from all over. I think we will have to produce this with a label that explains that to kill cockroaches we have to tie them together, submerge them in a bottle of insecticide… so that if they don’t die from the poisoning, they will die from drowning.» (pp. 126)

This quotation illustrates in a funny way the consequences of not having a theory of value as worth. Your models if carried out would be stuck in similar situations.

Regards,
A. Agafonow

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Received on Wed Apr 8 06:56:40 2009