Law of value

[wpc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Paul Cockshott)]

Jim asks how one is to understand situations in which unequal values
are exchanged, for instance when organic compositions vary.

There seem to be 3 possibel answers:

1) In these cases the law is violated,
or
2) Adopt a Gallilean approach, and say that we will formulate a law that
all bodies fall at equal rates irrespective of their masses, but allow
for disturbing forces which one asserts are normally minimal.
or
3) Adopt an approach derived from statistical mechanics where one says
that the law expresses statistical tendencies which are overlain
with random shot noise.


In respect to the second possibility it is worth remembering that
Newtons resolution of the paradox of falling bodies was to distinguish
between the gravitational force ( which is not immediately visible )
and the resulting visible acceleration which is effect of a summation
of forces. The analogy would suggest a distinction between value forces
and the observed exchange ratios that are the effect of a resultant
of forces. In this formulation the law of value would read something
like:
' The exchange values of all commodities are subject to a value
force that is inversely proportional to the difference between
their market prices and their values.'

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Paul Cockshott , 		WPS, PO Box 1125, Glasgow, G44 5UF
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