Paul,
You are right about what I assumed. My point in
the first post in this series was to point out the
absurdity of linking the "rate of surplus value"
the goods consumed. That is, could we lower
the rate, as workers, by consuming goods that
cost the same but are produced by industries with
a lower compostion of capital? It would seem so
if we define V as a basket of wage goods.
In order to measure the rates of surplus value for
various parts of working class, should we look at
the baskets of consumption goods that each part
purchases?
John
On Sun, 21 Jan 1996 wpc@clyder.gn.apc.org (Paul Cockshott) said:
>Re alleged lower rate of exploitation of black workers
>
>You did not merely assume that the consumption pattern of black
>and white workers differed, but that the labour content of the
>goods consumed by black workers was higher than that consumed
>by whites despite the fact that the wages of the latter were higher.
>It is this that I was asking you to justify.
>
>
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