[OPE-L] Albritton on Marx's value theory and subjectivity

[Jurriaan Bendien <adsl675281@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Paulo,

You:

The main purpose of capital is
the process of valorization but capital cannot be indifferent to the labor
process (the process of producing use values) because it is concrete labor
alone
that keeps past labor alive in the value of the new product.

Me:

I disagree, because as far as I am concerned production capital is only one
type of capital among others, and valorisation refers specifically to
increasing the value of production capital. Money capital and commodity
(mercantile) capital are not valorized.

You:

In your response it seems that you oscillate between indifference for the
worker
and indifference for capital. Those are two very different things I think.

Me:

It's not that I oscillate between them , but distinguish between them. Marx
rarely explicity talks about worker indifference.

You:

For capitalists there is no such a thing as indifference towards the labor
process.

Me:

But the controversy concerns really whether capital as "self-valorising
value" is indifferent to the peculiarities of production processes. You are
correct, individual capitalists would not be so indifferent. For the rest,
we agree.

Jurriaan