Labor Accounting

[Robert Peter Burns <rburns@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is being sent for a second time--PB

Paul (Cockshott), is time spent laboring the only relevant
factor in deciding remuneration in labor values?  You say that
remuneration must be decided politically.  In a political
forum aren't people going to raise not just time, but skill,
degree of difficulty, intensity of effort, etc.  Is it not
possible that sizable minorities will be outvoted on these
questions, and that some exploitation will result?  E.g.
dustbin men and sewage workers might shout and scream about
what a dirty job they have, while others will say it doesn't
require much mental dexterity.  Might not the labor of some be
systematically undervalued by the majority?  This might be both
transparent and hard to rectify.  On the other hand, if time
alone is the relevant factor, won't those who work hard
at a demanding task for an hour be "exploited" by those who
work ill at an undemanding task for an hour.  I am not saying
markets are any better, just that I am not clear as
to how the problem goes away with labor accounting.

Peter
rburns@xxxxxxxxxxx



     --- from list marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---

     ------------------