Re: [OPE-L] faux frais and the armaments industry

[Diego Guerrero <diego.guerrero@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I am referring to the idea that in a certain sense even the overall
existence of the state is a faux frais for capitalist production. All taxes
are faux frais in a pure model with no State.



----- Original Message -----
From: <glevy@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <OPE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 9:01 PM
Subject: Re: [OPE-L] faux frais and the armaments industry


> [Paul C wrote:]
> > 5) In all cases such record keeping constitutes what marx called the
> > unproductive faux frais of the mode of production.
> [Diego asked:]
> > Would not be armaments also faux frais ot the capitalist mode of
> > production?
>
> Diego:
>
> Faux frais are understood to be "incidental" costs associated
> with capitalist production.
>
> There is nothing "incidental" about the production of
> armaments!  In any event, it is worthwhile specifying
> whether the armaments are produced by capitalist firms
> which then sell their commodity product to the state
> or directly by state employees (e.g. by the military itself).
> If the latter, it is debateable whether this is "capitalist" or even
> "commodity" production.
>
> This is not to suggest that there are no faux frais
> associated with the armaments industry when the
> armaments are produced by capitalist firms.  E.g. payoffs
> to politicians or state employees(to ensure a contract or
> to look the other way so as not to enforce state regulations)
> or to underworld figures for "protection."   Marx considered
> insurance costs also to be faux frais, although, the cost to
> firms for insurance in some branches of production are no
> longer quite so "incidental" as they were in Marx's time!
>
> In solidarity, Jerry