Re: AUT: RE: Re: machines and surplus value

["Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2002, Patrick Lea wrote:

> Hi ho,
>
> > Actually, capital often "purchases" what people produce, but not in
> > factories.
>
> I'm not sure I understand. If they don't purchase what people produce in
> factories, but often do elsewhere, what is the distinction? (since 'In all
> cases, capital pays for "labour power"')

I was refering to situations like that of small farmers and peasants who
sell commodities to capital but receive back only an income that amounts
to a subsistence wage. To all appearance they seem to be small businesses
producing and selling commodities like any other business. But through the
manipulation of the terms of trade, exploitation via banks, etc., they
don't realize a surplus value, only subsistence --and, in the on going
process of enclosure are constantly threated with extinction qua
agriculturalists. So, the income they receive amounts to payment for
"labor power" and nothing more. The agrarian land reforms of the post-WWII
period, for example, involved the distribution of land to peasants in an
attempt to achieve political stability and undercut peasant support for
revolution. So many got a little land and their labor power was annexed
through the market and credit agencies instead of through the wage. Little
by little, as elsewhere in capital, however, they have been squeezed and
gradually converted to either unwaged labor in the informal urban sector
or waged labor. (Except, of course, where they have successfully resisted
these pressures.)

> Also, what do you mean by factories. The car factory? The call centre
> factory? The home? (I'm assuming the first)

I mean places where commodites (things, services) are produced by wage
labor working for capital. That could be any of the above, including home
production for piece wages as is common in Northern Italy with its
"hollow corporations".

> > So....... anything still not clear?
>
> Perhaps, then, my problem is further on. I'll think about it some more.
>
>
> bye
> patrick
>
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>

............................................................................
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Harry Cleaver
Department of Economics
University of Texas at Austin
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