Mikalac Norman S NSSC wrote:
>
> BTW, can someone out there help me on whether to call my son in law a
> capitalist or a worker? he has paid for and accumulated a lot of musical
> instruments and related recording equipment which i assume is capital.
> however, when he performs he is laboring with his trade tools. is he a
> capitalist or worker?
He is a petty producer: i.e., because he owns his means of production he gets to appropriate himself the surplus value he creates. Some petty producers are amongst the poorest part of the population. Other petty producers might well make rather better incomes than many small capitalists.
> also, when he hires for fixed fees other musicians
> for special accompanyments for his recordings on which he profits, is he
> exploiting this accompanyists or not?
Technically, he is exploiting them (that is, they produce more value than their labor power cost him). But he still isn't much of a capitalist as you describe him -- a very petty capitalist, hardly a member of the ruling class.
> your answers will help me insult him accurately when we meet in Kutztown PA
> in Nov. for our annual Thksgving family reunion, so thanks much for your
> help.
Carrol