[OPE-L:6297] Re: Historical, real and current costs

Michael Williams (Michael@MWILLIAM.U-NET.COM)
Tue, 17 Mar 1998 23:10:43 +0000

Rakesh wrote:
> I would like to speak to the historical cost debate in a roundabout way (I
> will suggest that such costs can be recovered, despite rapid technological
> progress, through the export of machinery to the dominated countries; and
> this serves as a very powerful counter-tendency to falling profitability).

Even within advanced capitalist nations there is a market for
technologically obsolescent machines for poorer customers. For
example, a near exact match for my aging PC (496SX33, 8MB RAM, 0.25GB
Harddisk etc) that I purchased in 1994 for £1200 is advertised by
flyers around our Uni for £200. I understand they are being assembled
by a student run company buying up motherboards and other components
that are no longer used even in 1998 entry-level machines. I am sure
someone must be doing the same for markets in the dominated nations.

comradely greetings,
-
Michael
*===================================*
Michael@mwilliam.u-net.com
"Books are Weapons"
Dr Michael Williams
Department of Economics Home:
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 26 Glenwood Avenue
De Montfort University Southampton
Milton Keynes SO16 3QA
MK7 6HP
tel:+1908 834876 tel/fax: +1703 768641
fax:+1908 834979
mwilliam@torres.mk.dmu.ac.uk
http://www.mk.dmu.ac.uk/~mwilliam