(OPE-L) Re: the productive macworker

["Gerald A. Levy" <Gerald_A_Levy@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Mike L.

> Would people agree that the macworkers are not only exploited
> but also the source of surplus value?

Sure.  If an opera singer employed by a capitalist firm can be
productive of surplus value then why not MacDonald workers?
The distinction between productive and unproductive labor should
not be confused with whether the form that a commodity takes is a
tangible material product or a service.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"An actor, for example, or even a CLOWN, according to this definition,
is a productive labourer if he works in the service of a capitalist (an
entrepreneur) to whom he returns more labour than he receives from
him in the form of wages." (_Theories of Surplus Value_, Part I,
Progress, p. 157, emphasis added).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does this mean that, according to Marx's understanding, a man or
woman dressed up in a Ronald MacDonald suit is productive of
surplus value?

In solidarity, Jerry