Re: [OPE] absinence theory

Hi Paul C:
 
It's not a "monetary illusion" to say that as money capital, capital can be invested
in any branch of production (whether it's in a department producing means of
production or a department or sub-department producing means of consumption).
The distinction between productive and unproductive labor concerns what type of
labor _produces_ surplus-value. What is done with surplus-value is another question:
it can be productively or unproductively _consumed_. If capitalists consume their
profit by using it to purchase more c + v, it is productively consumed. If they use
it for other purposes, it has not been.
 
I'm wondering whether your argument that the s in Dept III can't be accumulated
rests, implicitly, on the proposition that capitalist unproductive consumption
is unnecessary for capitalist reproduction? But, surely, the reproduction of
the capitalist class is required for the reproduction of capitalism and that
requires capitalists consume means of consumption.
 
If we were talking about the accumulation of wealth in a non-capitalist
mode of production such as feudalism or slavery then it would be obvious
that the castles and pyramids (and, for the most part, art!) represent
both real wealth and can't be productively consumed (n.b: in these cases,
that would mean wealth which is used to create more wealth). And,
similarly, when individual capitalists _buy_ means of consumption for
themselves, these use-values do indeed represent real wealth (which,
hopefully, can be redistributed in a socialist society) and it can't
be used to produce more wealth (or value) - because it is being individually
consumed. However, the capitalist who _sells_ these commodities to other
capitalists can (just like capitalists who sell means of production to
other capitalists) use that profit to purchase C + V in any branch
of production.
 
I'm wondering what Ian W has to say about this since means of consumption for
the capitalist class has been a central issue in at least one of his
writings.
 
In solidarity, Jerry
_______________________________________________
ope mailing list
ope@lists.csuchico.edu
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/ope
Received on Mon Oct 25 08:23:10 2010