Marx, Brenner, Technology (Was Re: [lbo-talk] preferences)

Devine, James jdevine at lmu.edu
Wed Sep 17 12:59:13 PDT 2003


JKS writes:> > >Marx identifies nothing
> > > else that would increase productivity other than
> > > markets.

I wrote:
> > that's not true. Most important to Marx is the subjection of
> > labor by capital, i.e., the control over the labor-process by
> > capital, enforced by the reserve army of labor.

Lew wrote:
> Not as an explanation of Marx's concept of *productivity*.
> Rather, it is
> developments in the forces of production (which includes
> human labour) which
> lead to increases in productivity. Certainly Marx never
> identified markets
> *per se* as increasing productivity.

you're right. But "increasing labor productivity" is how (positive) developments in the forces of production is typically summarized and/or measured. (Of course, as I said in a separate missive, I said that labor productivity is very hard to measure, especially when comparing different systems.)

Jim D.



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