[Marxism] work-needs

[Paddy Apling]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "S. Artesian" <sartesian at earthlink.net>

Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 9:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Marxism] work-needs

<snip>


> I doubt that I'm busted, and there is no way quantities of use-values can 
> be
> made equivalent, that's where labor time comes in.  So if workers in a 
> shoe
> factory make 1000 pairs of shoes in 8 hours; and workers in a steel plant
> make 2.5 tons of steel in 8 hours, those values are equivalent, and if
> workers in another factory make 1 ton of specialty steel, that's 
> equivalent
> also.  And if workers in a different shoe factory make only 500 pairs of
> specially designed orthopedic shoes, that mass is equivalent.  Use-value 
> is
> dependent upon use.  Equivalence is based on labor-time.  Payments are
> equal, since the labor-time is equal.

Don't be so simplistic.  Of course those values are not equivalent - the 
value of the output of a particular factory involves not only "today's" 
labour-time - but the labour-time involved in the production of the raw 
materials, the tools and plant, and a whole lot more.

Paddy
http://apling.freeservers.com