[OPE-L:2589] THIS MONTH IN REVIEW [June, 1996]

glevy@acnet.pratt.edu (glevy@acnet.pratt.edu)
Sun, 30 Jun 1996 05:49:23 -0700 (PDT)

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We now have 39 subscribers. This month began with OPE-L #2439.

I. TOPICS DISCUSSED THIS MONTH
===========================

Some of the threads that we discussed at length this month included:

* the "transformation problem" [also includes dynamical systems; Great
Leaps Forward; how many periods; value of c +v] -- continued from
previous months (-27- posts);

* commodity-money -- continued from April and May (-19- posts);

* Was Lenin a non-dualist? [spun off into other topics] (-20- posts);

* Marx and Ricardo [includes definitions of capitalism; essentialism;
a priorism: arose out of Lenin thread] (-21- posts);

Additionally, we discussed more briefly the following other topics:

* assumptions (continued from May);
* Are labor power and land commodities?
* theory of surplus (value) & theory of (individual) prices;
* FRP models;
* Marxian empirical research;
* classes and wage labor;
* Ch. 5 (continued from previous months).

II. Procedural Discussions
======================

The only procedural post was Alan's #2449, dated 6/3, which concerned the
upcoming CAP-L seminar on depreciation.

III. Outstanding Issues
==================

* Organizing the CAP-L seminar on depreciation.

* Hopefully, members will write posts indicating the _Capital_ subjects
that they would eventually like to see us discuss (as suggested in
#2395 on 5/28).

* Although many have been on vacation or attending conferences, we
should increase participation rates. Now is also a good time to
raise new threads for discussion, IMHO.

=====================
OVERALL, this was a *slow* month as measured by both the total quantity
of posts and the rate of participation. This was due, IMO, to three main
factors:

(1) we were off the air for a total of about 5 days this month
due to problems with listserv and anthrax;

(2) there were several conferences this month that members
attended or organized;

(3) many were on vacation for all or part of the month. I expect
that will continue for many during the summer months.

Despite the above, we managed to pursue a number of important threads in a
serious and meaningful manner. If we can boost participation in July and
continue to raise challenging questions, next month should prove to be
very interesting indeed.

In OPE-L Solidarity,

Jerry