Whatever produces direct profit (surplus value) for capital is productive -- say producing a medicine that kills patients. caring, nurturing work is not. It is more a critique of capitalism than of housework.
On Sun, Jan 27, 2002 at 11:42:01AM -0500, Kelley wrote:
> At 08:24 AM 1/27/02 -0800, Michael Perelman wrote:
> >Housework was only unproductive, for Marx, because it did not produce
> >surplus value -- that is, a very narrow interpretation of productive
> >within the context of capitalist values -- it did not denigrate housework.
> >
> >For example, the production of destructive goods would be productive.
> > --
>
>
> could you elaborate what it means to say that it doesn't produce surplus
> value? i've not visited these debates in quite some time-- more than a
> decade ago. i do, though, recall reading a number of feminist critiques of
> marx/engels and marxists feminists' claims about housework as unproductive
> labor.
>
> thanks,
>
> kelley
>
-- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu