[Marxism] Cuba's wage changes not a return to capitalism ... Re: IsCuba Done With Equality?

[S. Artesian]

Of course we can measure labor productivity; we can particularly do that on 
the "macro" scale:  how much of the population is required to spend how much 
of its time in agricultural labor is about the clearest measure of 
productivity you can find.

The problem with the introduction of wage-tiers, or in its most extreme 
form,  piecework, is that this things do not occur in a vacuum-- they occur 
and will occur in conjunction with greater reliance on market exchange; 
greater flexibility in allowing the private employment of the laborers, as 
the government measures productivity on the basis of output per worker, and 
output assumes an exchange value.  The assessment of "value" will be forced 
to conform more and more to market value.  If tourism brings in the largest 
amount of foreign currency, and Cuba needs just that currency to augment 
producitivity of any other sector, then tourism, despite its economic, 
social, and environmental impacts will be encouraged.  If nickel prices 
continue to increase and provide greater returns for the government does 
that mean nickel workers should be paid more than others?  Those are some of 
the issues in moving away from "egalitarianism."


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Palmer" <spalmer999 at yahoo.com>
To: <sartesian at earthlink.net>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 12:45 PM