[Marxism] work-needs

[S. Artesian]

Yes, of course, labor-time is tracked for  bookkeeping and planning 
purposes; "socially necessary labor time," however is the determination made 
in the market for the realization of exchange values.

But "socially necessary" is determined directly, under or by socialism, by 
the producers-- by the workers, through their organs or direct economic and 
political power-- i.e. workers councils, planning commisssions, etc.

"Socially necessary labor time,"  with socialism,  is not used for 
determining wages; it is not the mechanism for apportioning surplus, no more 
than profit-- the "socially necessary" manifestation of value under 
capitalism-- IS surplus under socialism.

The fundamental flaw in the arguments about volumes of use-values, and 
socially necessary labor time, besides the fact that it confuses use and 
exchange, quantity and need, is that the means of production at, during, and 
all through the assumption of power by the proletariat cannot and will not 
ever be "constant," "equal,"  "equivalent," etc.  Consequently any attempt 
to use "productivity" as a basis for wage-differentials only reproduces the 
separation between workers and means of production which is the essential 
characteristic of capitalism.

What can be, and always is, equivalent is the labor time expended by the 
workers collectively.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charles Brown" <charlesb at cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us>
To: <sartesian at earthlink.net>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 8:50 AM
Subject: [Marxism] work-needs