Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 12:50:05 -0500 (EST)
From: Gerald Levy <glevy-AT-pratt.edu>
Subject: Re: M-TH: Marxian Economics


Doug Henwood wrote:

> >> We see a
> >> rising ROP in the U.S., but the "unproductive" share is larger than ever.
> >Yeah, so what?
> >Marx never suggested that an increase in the employment of unproductive
> >labour would necessarily manifest itself as a decline in the general rate
> >of profit.
> I guess I just don't understand the significance of obsessing over the
> distinction then.

Who is "obsessing" over the distinction between productive and
unproductive labour? What you, evidently, didn't understand  from my
comment is that the general rate of profit can rise for other reasons, e.g.
a decrease in circulation time due to innovations in transportation or a
change in the turnover time of constant fixed capital.

Jerry



     --- from list marxism-thaxis-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---