Dear Fred,
Even if the capitalism is the subject of investigation, it does not
necessarily follow from it that capitalism is to be the starting-point
of the investigation. Simpe commodity production is more useful and
necessary starting-point in theorizing the capitalism even if it was
not existent in history (it actually existed in history under other
dominant modes of production.). When you come back from the travel,
I will show you the emergence of the proletariats from the mere
operation of the law of value in simple commodity production without
supposing the extra-economic coersions (bloody violences, etc.).
Cheers,
Chai-on