In OPE-L 3876 Andrew quoted from Marx the following statement: "...EVEN THOUGH
SURPLUS-VALUE IS EXPRESSED IN A SURPLUS PRODUCT, IT IS NOT TRUE CONVERSELY THAT
ANY SURPLUS PRODUCT IN THE SENSE OF A MERE INCREASE IN THE QUANTITY OF THE
PRODUCT REPRESENTS A SURPLUS-VALUE."
Andrew argues is that this statement of Marx is not compatible with the
simultaneist interpretation of Marx's theory of value, an argument which I
agree with. As a contribution to this debate, I would like to indicate that
this same issue (i.e., the relationship between surplus-value and surplus
product) is analyzed by Marx in the THEORIES OF SURPLUS-VALUE, Part II,
(Progress Publishers), especially pp. 450-59. From his analysis he concludes
that "THUS IT BECOMES EVIDENT THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL RENT - WHICH ARISES ON THE
BETTER TYPES OF LAND OWING TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARKET-VALUE AND
INDIVIDUAL VALUE ON THE PRODUCTS RAISED ON THEM - IN ITS MAERIAL FORM AS RENT
IN KIND, SURPLUS-PRODUCT ... IS MADE UP OF TWO ELEMENTS AND DUE TO TWO
TRANSFORMATIONS. [FIRSTLY:] THE SURPLUS PRODUCT WHICH REPRESENTS THE
SURPLUS-LABOUR OF THE WORKERS OR THE SURPLUS-VALUE, AND THEREFORE FALLS TO THE
LANDLORD INSTEAD OF THE CAPITALIST. SECONDLY: APART OF THE PRODUCT WHICH
PREVIOUSLY - WHEN THE PRODUCT OF THE BETTER TYPE OF LAND OR MINE WAS BEING SOLD
AT ITS OWN VALUE - WAS NEEDED TO REPLACE THE VALUE OF THE CONSTANT CAPITAL, IS
NOW, WHEN THE EACH PORTION OF THE PRODUCT POSSESSES A HIGHER MARKET-VALUE, FREE
AND APPEARS IN THE FORM OF SURPLUS-PRODUCT, THUS FALLING TO THE LANDLORD
INSTEAD OF THE CAPITALIST" (p. 452).
Marx goes on to indicate that "...these same elements [are present] in all
excess profit, for instance, if as a result of new machinery etc., a cheaply
produced product is sold at a higher market-value than its own value" (p.453).
Therefore, if we follow Marx's own temporalist approach and also take into
consideration the phenomena of release and tying up of productive capital, we
can explain how an increase in surplus product (which results from the release
of productive capital) do not results from any increase in surplus-value.
I think that this show the importance of the concepts of release and tying up
of productive capital for the marxian approach.
Hello and happy New Year to everyone
Eduardo Maldonado Filho