Post on 29-Dec-2015
transcript
Primitive AccumulationPrimitive Accumulation
CapitalCapital, Volume I, Part VIII, Volume I, Part VIII
Chapters 26 - 33Chapters 26 - 33
Structure of SectionStructure of Section
Chapter 26 - Overview: Secret of Prim. Accum.Chapter 26 - Overview: Secret of Prim. Accum. Chapters 27-28 - Formation of Working ClassChapters 27-28 - Formation of Working Class Chapters 29-31 - Formation of Capitalist ClassChapters 29-31 - Formation of Capitalist Class Chapter 32 - Logical End to sectionChapter 32 - Logical End to section Chapter 33 - Wakefield on ColoniesChapter 33 - Wakefield on Colonies
Chapter 26: Secret of Primitive Accumulation
Chapter 26: Secret of Primitive Accumulation
Origins of Capitalist SocietyOrigins of Capitalist Society Myth: individual achievement vs failureMyth: individual achievement vs failure Marx: class formation via forceMarx: class formation via force
Expropriation = formation of working classExpropriation = formation of working class Concentration of wealth = formation of capitalist Concentration of wealth = formation of capitalist
classclass
Chapter 26: CommentaryChapter 26: Commentary
Myth of Political EconomyMyth of Political Economy Anyone can become a capitalistAnyone can become a capitalist Those who are lazy remain workersThose who are lazy remain workers Dickens ridicules in Dickens ridicules in Hard Times Hard Times
Marx was NOT an historical-materialistMarx was NOT an historical-materialist His own denial in Russian debateHis own denial in Russian debate
Capitalism can NOT eliminate the antagonisms Capitalism can NOT eliminate the antagonisms and ever renewed alternativesand ever renewed alternatives
The Rise of the Working ClassThe Rise of the Working Class
Creation was forced, not spontaneousCreation was forced, not spontaneous
Chapter 27: Forced from land, toolsChapter 27: Forced from land, tools Chapter 28: Forced into waged labor Chapter 28: Forced into waged labor
Chap27: Expropriation (1st step)Chap27: Expropriation (1st step)
Destruction of AutonomyDestruction of Autonomy Expropriation of land, toolsExpropriation of land, tools Marx: examples from England, ScotlandMarx: examples from England, Scotland Since: colonialism, on-going processSince: colonialism, on-going process Resistance: need for force result of fierce Resistance: need for force result of fierce
resistanceresistance Resistance: reversal of enclosures, land reformResistance: reversal of enclosures, land reform
Chap27: CommentaryChap27: Commentary
Transition from FeudalismTransition from Feudalism Tales of ResistanceTales of Resistance The World Turned Upside DownThe World Turned Upside Down Enclosures of WaterEnclosures of Water Enclosures in the United StatesEnclosures in the United States Enclosure of the Female BodyEnclosure of the Female Body Struggle for Cultural DiversityStruggle for Cultural Diversity
Music of ResistanceMusic of Resistance
The Highland Clearances (?????)The Highland Clearances (?????) The World Turned Upside Down (1649)The World Turned Upside Down (1649) The Great Eel Robbery (????)The Great Eel Robbery (????) The Farmer is the Man (1890s)The Farmer is the Man (1890s) Rain on the Scarecrow (1985)Rain on the Scarecrow (1985)
Chapter 28: Bloody Legislation (2nd step)
Chapter 28: Bloody Legislation (2nd step)
Bloody Laws to impose workBloody Laws to impose work Resistance: barbarity of laws result of degree of Resistance: barbarity of laws result of degree of
refusalrefusal Anti-vagrancy laws, anti-migration laws Anti-vagrancy laws, anti-migration laws
(border controls)(border controls) Anti-direct appropriation lawsAnti-direct appropriation laws Spread with primitive accumulation (to US, Spread with primitive accumulation (to US,
colonies)colonies) Reappear in response to uncontrolled mobilityReappear in response to uncontrolled mobility
Chap28: CommentaryChap28: Commentary
Refusal of FactoryRefusal of Factory Street as an Alternative to FactoryStreet as an Alternative to Factory The Nature of the State: The Nature of the State:
organ of class powerorgan of class power terrain of struggleterrain of struggle
Working Class Struggles: CombinationsWorking Class Struggles: Combinations Vagrancy Laws During ReconstructionVagrancy Laws During Reconstruction The Wage, its absence & imposition of workThe Wage, its absence & imposition of work
Music of ResistanceMusic of Resistance
Roll Down the Line (1890s) Roll Down the Line (1890s) Factory (1978)Factory (1978)
The Rise of the Capitalist ClassThe Rise of the Capitalist Class
Self-formationSelf-formation Struggles to replace previous ruling classStruggles to replace previous ruling class Struggles to create working classStruggles to create working class
Overview of MaterialOverview of Material
Chap29: Rise of Agrarian CapitalistsChap29: Rise of Agrarian Capitalists Chap30: Creation of Home MarketChap30: Creation of Home Market Chap31: Rise of Industrial CapitalistsChap31: Rise of Industrial Capitalists
Chap29: Rise of Agrarian CapitalistsChap29: Rise of Agrarian Capitalists
Trajectory of formation highly variedTrajectory of formation highly varied Variation result of different starting points, Variation result of different starting points,
forces along the wayforces along the way Baileff, farmer, metayer, farmer properBaileff, farmer, metayer, farmer proper Key: rising control over land & laborKey: rising control over land & labor
Chap29: CommentaryChap29: Commentary
Control over land often sought for autonomyControl over land often sought for autonomy Resistance of farmers to market in USResistance of farmers to market in US Third World ParallelsThird World Parallels
Land Reform MovementsLand Reform Movements Zapatista revolt response to NAFTAZapatista revolt response to NAFTA
Use of Inflation in Primitive & Mature Use of Inflation in Primitive & Mature AccumulationAccumulation rapid inflation to transfer wealthrapid inflation to transfer wealth marginal inflation to keep w = productivitymarginal inflation to keep w = productivity
Music of ResistanceMusic of Resistance
Seven Cent Cotton (1927)Seven Cent Cotton (1927) Corrido de Delano (1966)Corrido de Delano (1966) Maggie’s Farm (1965)Maggie’s Farm (1965)
Chap30: Creation of Home MarketChap30: Creation of Home Market Expropriation means Expropriation means
people no longer meet their own needspeople no longer meet their own needs people must BUY what they needpeople must BUY what they need
To be able to buy they must sell themselvesTo be able to buy they must sell themselves So, expansion of home market result of creation So, expansion of home market result of creation
of labor marketof labor market Resistance: value of homespun, gardening, Resistance: value of homespun, gardening,
subordination of market to other valuessubordination of market to other values e.g., Brazilian herbal markete.g., Brazilian herbal market
Chap30: CommentaryChap30: Commentary
Imposition of MarketImposition of Market Valorization & DisvalorizationValorization & Disvalorization Agricultural Development & “productivity”Agricultural Development & “productivity”
Chap31: Genesis of Industrial Capitalist
Chap31: Genesis of Industrial Capitalist
Annexation of labor through merchant capitalAnnexation of labor through merchant capital Concentration of Wealth through FORCEConcentration of Wealth through FORCE
colonialism: violence & plunder (business + state)colonialism: violence & plunder (business + state) slavery & wage slaveryslavery & wage slavery
Monopolization of tradeMonopolization of trade control over labor force, e.g., elimination of weaverscontrol over labor force, e.g., elimination of weavers
Public Debt - then and nowPublic Debt - then and now centralization of moneycentralization of money use of centralized money?use of centralized money?
Chap31: CommentaryChap31: Commentary
Myth of EntrepreneurshipMyth of Entrepreneurship Worker initiative + capital constraintWorker initiative + capital constraint
Capitalist Development & Role of StateCapitalist Development & Role of State From tool of capital to terrain of struggleFrom tool of capital to terrain of struggle
Colonialism & Accumulation of CapitalColonialism & Accumulation of Capital Raw materials, trade, outlet for capital, vs:Raw materials, trade, outlet for capital, vs: internationalization of labor controlinternationalization of labor control
Slavery & Child LaborSlavery & Child Labor
Chap33: Theory of ColonialismChap33: Theory of Colonialism
Reading mainstream economicsReading mainstream economics Apology vs managerial guidelinesApology vs managerial guidelines Wakefield = “development economist”Wakefield = “development economist” Problem: availability of land = worker power to Problem: availability of land = worker power to
refuse workrefuse work Solution: make land less available, make it Solution: make land less available, make it
harder for workers to escape wage slaveryharder for workers to escape wage slavery
Chap32: The Historical TendencyChap32: The Historical Tendency
Logical Culmination of BookLogical Culmination of Book Sweeping Historical Periodization:Sweeping Historical Periodization:
Phase I: private property based on laborPhase I: private property based on labor ended by “first negation” -violentended by “first negation” -violent
Phase II: private property in capitalismPhase II: private property in capitalism ended by “second negation” -less violentended by “second negation” -less violent expropriation of expropriatorsexpropriation of expropriators
Phase III: social property in means of productionPhase III: social property in means of production
Dialectics - IDialectics - I
Dialectics = a kind of movementDialectics = a kind of movement Heraclitus = restlessness, becomingHeraclitus = restlessness, becoming Plato/Socrates = dialogos, one kind of logicPlato/Socrates = dialogos, one kind of logic Hegel = cosmology, movement of zeitgeistHegel = cosmology, movement of zeitgeist Marx = movement of capital - class struggleMarx = movement of capital - class struggle
orthodox Marxism sees “dialectical materialism”orthodox Marxism sees “dialectical materialism” others see critique of capitalism, possibility of non-others see critique of capitalism, possibility of non-
dialectical futuredialectical future
Dialectics - IIDialectics - II Best known element: thesis, antithesis, synthesisBest known element: thesis, antithesis, synthesis
Hegel: being, nothing, becomingHegel: being, nothing, becoming Marx: capital, struggle of skilled workers, fordism Marx: capital, struggle of skilled workers, fordism
and deskilled labor force (incorporates skills in and deskilled labor force (incorporates skills in engineering class and machinery)engineering class and machinery)
Other elements: (many, many)Other elements: (many, many) e.g., negation of negation = positive changee.g., negation of negation = positive change e.g., reflexive mediatione.g., reflexive mediation e.g., syllogistic mediatione.g., syllogistic mediation
--END----END--