Ajit Sinha (ajitsinha@lbsnaa.ernet.in)
Tue, 21 Dec 1999 12:22:46 +0530
Paul Zarembka wrote:
> I haven't yet introduced the production of relative surplus value nor
> unemployment in my argumentation one way or another. However, I can say
> that during the deepest unemployment in U.S. history during the 1930s,
> workers became the most militant and achieved real gains which to this day
> the capitalist class is struggling to wipe out!
_______________
In my frantic state of mind I forgot to add yesterday that Marx's position was
that during a business cycle the real wages generally rise during the boom period
and fall during the recession--this again is due to the increase or decrease of
the bargaining strength of the working class, which is corelated to the rate of
unemployment. Thus there is no reason to think that Marx would not think that the
same relation would hold on a secular time path. So even if Paul's claim about
the great depression is correct historically, it was not how Marx thought about
it--and that is what the issue we are concerned with.
By the way, if anybody is concerned, my frantic state of mind is due to a lot of
work and responsibilities I have taken on my own and not because of some mental
anguish. Actually i'm being extremely well treated by the Academy and the officer
trainees who i teach--it has been a pleasure working here. It is just too much of
work pressure i have created for myself, which is killing me. So nothing to
worry! Cheers, ajit sinha
>
>
> Paul
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