Re: [OPE] Michael Webber

Dave wrote:
"Commodity production preceded the existence of the capitalist mode of
production".

True, but my emphasis was on 'system', ie, I refer to commodities being
produced not occasionally, at the margins, etc, but as the norm.

Michael wrote:
"an economy of independent commodity producers - small farmers, small
producers and small traders - would be commodity producing; but it would not
be capitalism".

True also, but it wouldn't be a 'system' of commodity production either.
Presumably those small producers would be producing first of all for
themselves, only secondarily for the market. Coincidentally I was just
re-reading Rubin and came across this comment: "When the ruling type of
production relations was crafts production, where the goal was the
'maintenance' of the craftsman, the craftsman still considered himself a
'master craftsman' and he considered his income the source of his
'maintenance' even when he expanded his enterprise and had, in essence,
already become a capitalist who lived from the wage labor of his workers".

Clearly these are not the typical conditions of commodity production in
China today - we've all heard about Foxconn, right? So I agree with your
conclusions, but I'm still amazed that there can be any doubts on this.

Paula

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Received on Fri Jun 11 17:47:57 2010