Re: Source Query was Re: econophysics

[Ted Winslow <egwinslow@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Lebowitz wrote:

> They may have said it on other occasions; however, if I recall
> correctly, we had a bit of exchange. I wrote a note, 'Only capitalist
> laws of motion?' in the November 1986 MR, which may have been in
> response to something they wrote earlier and they responded in the
> same issue. I didn't agree with them (ie., I think there were unique
> laws of motion in the USSR et al, which I subsequently attributed to
> the 'vanguard mode of production') but didn't pursue the question
> (for reasons I'm not certain about 19 years later).

The ontological idea of "internal relations" that underpins Marx's  
political economy produces a concept of "law" as "immanent".  The  
"essence" of individuals is the outcome of their relations and  
changes with them.  This means that, as Marshall points out, "the  
laws of the science must have a
development corresponding to that of the things of which they  
treat."  Marx himself forgets this is his deduction of the "absolute  
general law of capitalist accumulation".

I've made this ontological point before, once specifically in  
relation to a claim of Sweezy.

<http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/pen-l/2004w28/msg00147.htm>

Internal relations are one essential aspect of Marx's developmental  
conception of human being that makes the "universally developed  
individual" the ideal end point of development, an end point  
requiring and making possible the ideal social relations that define  
"communism".  This developmental feature of  Marx's "vision" is  
supported with abundant textual evidence in Paul Burkett's recent  
Monthly Review article, "Marx's Vision of Sustainable Human  
Development".  <http://www.monthlyreview.org/1005burkett.htm>  Among  
the abilities requiring to be developed "to achieve all-round  
development of his abilities" is "the ability to think."

“the workers assert in their communist propaganda that the vocation,  
designation, task of every person is to achieve all-round development  
of his abilities, including, for example, the ability to  
think.” (Marx and Engels, The German Ideology, p. 309 as cited by  
Burkett)

Ted