Re: [OPE] webpage computing dynamic rate of profit

GERALD LEVY wrote:
>
>> s/(c+v) tells us the ratio of the population producing surplus
>> goods to those producing non surplus goods.
>>
>
>
> Hi Paul C:
>
> It can't tell us that at all - indeed, there is no variable
> which expresses the total population in the formula. What
> it tells us, instead, is how much surplus _value_ has been
> actually created by _wage-workers productively employed by
> capital_. It is formula which only has meaning for the capitalist
> mode of production because the variables are specific to that
> mode. If you have any doubt about this, consider the meaning of V.
>
The ratio will be the same to within a very small margin of error.

s is person hours/year embodied in surplus
c+v is person hours/year embodied in non surplus goods

person hours per year have dimension persons since the two time
components cancel
so the ratio s/(c+v) has dimension persons/persons

The ratio is actually the ratio of full time equivalent persons, since
the working day is less than 100% the full time equivalent persons will
be lower than the actual persons employed.
This would simply be a scalar multiplier if working hours were the same
in all industries.
Since s , c and v are each the embody ment of output from many
industries, the
standard deviation of each of these from the mean will be lower than the
deviations
of individual industries, hence the ratio will be very close to what I
said originally.

>
> If one wanted to talk about socialism then one could instead
> use the more general and trans-historical categories of surplus
> product, means of production, and labor.
>
>
>
>> is a simple dimensionless number.
>>
>
> It can have a time and spatial dimension.
>
No it is dimensionless since the dimension of s is the same as that of c
and v so dividing through gives a dimensionless result.
>
> In solidarity, Jerry_______________________________________________
> ope mailing list
> ope@lists.csuchico.edu
> https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/ope
>

_______________________________________________
ope mailing list
ope@lists.csuchico.edu
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/ope
Received on Wed May 20 11:59:56 2009