Hi Fred,
My mail server has been up and down for the past few days,
so jumping in here may be a bit disconnected. At any rate,
in OPE-L 3460, you stated among other things:
4. Furthermore, and more importantly, these is considerable textual
evidence that Marx derived the flow of constant capital from the stock of
constant capital, and therefore that he valued the stock and the flow of
constant capital in similar ways. According to Marx, the magnitude of the
flow of constant capital (the value transferred from machines) (c) in any
given accounting period is equal to the quotient of the stock of constant
capital (the total price of machinery) (C) and the expected number of
periods the machines are expected to last (n): i.e.
c = C / n.
Therefore, assuming that the expected lifetime of the machines remains
constant, the flow of constant capital can change only if the stock of
constant capital changes. If technological change occurs, this will change
the stock of constant capital, which will in turn change in flow of
constant
capital.
John says:
If you are changing the technology by which machines are produced, how
can you assume that "n" stays constant? In determining "the expected
lifetime machines" is there no allowance for technical change? If none,
are we not then saying that saying that the lifetime of machinery is
determined only by natural forces?
John
P.S. Sadly, in Marx expressions like C/n are used in Vol II where
technology is assumed to be unchanging. On this bit, I think we are
on our own.