[PEN-L:6602] Competitiveness

Tom Batsis wrote: Doug, do you think thatincreased "competitiveness" is responsible for declining standards of living? From: Michael Perelman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yes. Of course, when profits start to fall, business takes it out on the workers. That is the underlying mechanism.

[PEN-L:6605] Re: Competitiveness

At 11:33 PM 10/10/96, Alex Izurieta wrote: That is, increasing competition has *indeed* led to a deterioration of standards of living, but *through a still sharper concentration*. How do we know there's been a sharper concentration? Thirty years ago, there were three major players in the U.S.

[PEN-L:6606] Re: Competitiveness

Doug Henwood wrote: How do we know there's been a sharper concentration? Thirty years ago, there were three major players in the U.S. auto market; now there are what, 5 or 10? Firstly: remember that the large auto corporations are TNCs which produce and sell autos in many different national

[PEN-L:6607] Re: Is labour getting serious?

Elaine, The news report - All this sounds like SA in the 70's and 80's.Though it doesn't mean that we are not losing jobs, as you will learn for your self when you come. Additional requests: - Enoch Godongwana , Numsa General Secretary , asked if you could get him a copy of David Weals book

[PEN-L:6608] FW: BLS Daily Report

BLS DAILY REPORT, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1996 RELEASED TODAY: Employer costs for employee compensation in the United States (private industry and state and local governments) averaged $18.82 per hour worked in March 1996. Straight-time wages and salaries (71.6 percent of the costs) averaged

[PEN-L:6609] Re: why raise the minimum wage (fwd)

Doug, you are repeating the same mistake you made last December. If Bill Gates spends millions of dollars hiring workers to undertake unproductive labor at his super mansion in Washington, you fail to recognize that the wages which go to those workers are from revenue of surplus value. In your

[PEN-L:6610] McDonalds and Meat

Treacy: McDonalds had the smallest size meat patty in the industry but due to chains such as Rallys putting out a .99 cent burger, others such as Wendys cut prices by introducing "value" menu items. This past summer McD increased the size of their burger

[PEN-L:6611] Toll Of Palestinian Dead And Wounded

Another Palestinian succumbed on Monday to his gunshot wounds, bringing to 68 the toll of Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli Armed Forces during the recent clashes. The fighting broke out on September 25, when Israeli soldiers opened fire on stonethrowing Palestinian protestors. The

[PEN-L:6612] trickle down?

I recently posted the following:increased competition among capitalists also hurts profits, no? and profits are up, yup? So maybe the problem is increased competition amongst workers. Ken Hanly COMMENTed that But increased profits means more to invest and more jobs and thus more to trickle

[PEN-L:6613] Competitiveness

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Doug Henwood) How do we know there's been a sharper concentration? How can we *really* know?? Especially if behind almost every big firm there seems to be an intrincate conglomerate of well diversified networks of investors, financial enterprises,

[PEN-L:6614] Re: competitiveness

If the rate of profit falls, then there are Marx's counter-tendencies in operation. Namely, workers' pay on the line as well as outsourcing by MNCs among other things. When profits are falling, capitalists don't lay dead. In their closets there are many options.

[PEN-L:6615] Re: why raise the minimum wage (fwd)

At 7:03 AM 10/11/96, Paul Zarembka wrote: Doug, you are repeating the same mistake you made last December. If Bill Gates spends millions of dollars hiring workers to undertake unproductive labor at his super mansion in Washington, you fail to recognize that the wages which go to those workers

[PEN-L:6616] Re: why raise the minimum wage (fwd)

On Fri, 11 Oct 1996, Doug Henwood wrote: We're not talking about Bill Gates hiring a few workers out of revenue to perform unproductive labor. We're talking about giving half the U.S. workforce a big fat raise - that is, bringing the minimum wage to within hailing distance of the present

[PEN-L:6617] Re: Competitiveness

We are taught that competition is good. Yet, we can think of a depression as a symptom of heightened competition. Within this framework, what happens during a depression is what happens with greater competition. Business gets busy laying off workers, installing new technology [yes, the

[PEN-L:6618] IMPORTANT COURT RULING (fwd)

Date: Fri, 11 Oct 96 00:36:06 -0600 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: UNITED [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: IMPORTANT COURT RULING The following court case may mean justice for many thousands of workers. My employer isn't gonna like this and yours probably won't either.

Re: [PEN-L:6617] Re: Competitiveness

The Japanese have an expression "kato kyoso" meaning excessive competition which they vehemently oppose. Various state-capital arrangements and cartel-like behavior reduce competition. Prices are high no doubt but mass lay offs rare as well. Anthony P. D'Costa Associate Professor Comparative

[PEN-L:6619] a nobel puzzle

Suppose you won the Nobel prize and wanted to put it to use to make the society you live in improve as much as possible. Where would you spend the $? Supporting labor? Radical education? Organize a vanguard movement? -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico,

[PEN-L:6620] Competitiveness

Doug said: How do we know there's been a sharper concentration? Thirty years ago, there were three major players in the U.S. auto market; now there are what, 5 or 10? I sat at a conference a few weeks ago and listened to someone denouncing the increased monopolization of world trade by 40,000

Re: [PEN-L:6620] Competitiveness

I don't about the other industries, but sorry not in steel. The top five companies in the world (by crude steel output) control 13.5% of the total world output. In fact this is one industry where there has been deconcentration, here and abroad, and globally. Anthony P. D'Costa Associate

[PEN-L:6621] Recent court ruling

Date: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 From: Philip Kraft [EMAIL PROTECTED] BENEFIT RULING COULD HAVE WIDE IMPACT By Del Jones and Julie Schmit An appeals court ruling in Seattle against Microsoft for treating employees as independent contractors is sending shivers through the high-tech industry and

[PEN-L:6622] not all competition is equal

why don't we distinguish between types of competition? when ncds'ers talk about how capitalist firms are engaging in cutthroat competition, they want us to have the idea that firms are competing *for consumers*, especially by lowering prices. but it turns out, not surprisingly, that capitalists

[PEN-L:6624] Re: Competitiveness

At 10:14 AM 10/11/96, Michael Perelman wrote: The government tries to avoid excess competiition [depressions] via government spending (i.e. military expenditures) and a lenient policy toward anti-competitive measures. Business will tend to organize and consolidate until they can enjoy a new

[PEN-L:6625] Re: why raise the minimum wage (fwd)

Doug in reply to Paul Z We're not talking about Bill Gates hiring a few workers out of revenue to perform unproductive labor. We're talking about giving half the U.S. workforce a big fat raise - that is, bringing the minimum wage to within hailing distance of the present mean. All the faux

[PEN-L:6627] Re: why raise the minimum wage (fwd)

At 2:18 PM 10/11/96, Gerald Levy wrote: Since you are now using this term, a) define surplus value. b) explain how surplus value is measured. No, I don't have to Jerry. You're just being a pest. Doug -- Doug Henwood Left Business Observer 250 W 85 St New York NY 10024-3217 USA

[PEN-L:6628] Re: Competitiveness

absolutely! Doug Henwood wrote: At 10:14 AM 10/11/96, Michael Perelman wrote: The government tries to avoid excess competiition [depressions] via government spending (i.e. military expenditures) and a lenient policy toward anti-competitive measures. Business will tend to organize and

[PEN-L:6630] Cracks In The U.S. Empire

U.S. imperialism is having difficulty holding its European empire together. It gives the appearance of being cocksure of itself and its power, but below the surface contradictions are churning. U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry's recent extended tour throughout his European domain was

[PEN-L:6631] jobs for environmental economists

Can the environmental economists out there help me by giving me some ideas of the jobs are available for someone with an undergraduate degree in environmental economics? Thanks. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL

[PEN-L:6632] 50% Marginal Tax Rate for Working Families

Speaking of minimum wage workers, do folks realize that if working families get any increase in wages above the minimum wage, they face the highest marginal tax rate of any income group? In fact, they are taxed at a rate equal to roughly 50% of any additional income. Here's what they pay

[PEN-L:6634] Fwd: nobel prize and iaffe newsletter

wow. maggie coleman [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (William S. Brown (907) 465-6423/789-2448) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 96-10-11 14:59:59 EDT William Vickery was killed in a car wreck last night. He

[PEN-L:6635] Fwd: Vickrey's death

- Forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (William S. Brown (907) 465-6423/789-2448) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 96-10-11 15:17:50 EDT One of my students who works for a radio station called to tell me the details of Vickrey's

[PEN-L:6636] Re: a nobel puzzle

Date sent: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 10:41:40 -0700 (PDT) Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Michael Perelman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject:[PEN-L:6619] a nobel puzzle Suppose you won the Nobel prize and wanted to put it to use to make the society you live in improve as much

[PEN-L:6637] comments on URPE history welcome

October 11, 1996 Dear friends and URPE members, This is a very first draft of a submission for the Encyclopedia for Political Economy being coordinated by Phil O'Hara. I have written 1174 rough words and have a 1200 word maximum. I am stuck and need collective help. I have no access to files

[PEN-L:6638] vickery and radical economics

I have been told by a member of URPE that Vickery (en paz descanse) was a member of URPE, if not now, at least at some time in the past. Does anyone on PENl know him or his work? Does Michael Perelman ask his question of Nobel prize money because he was named in Vickery's will? Oops, don't

[PEN-L:6639] Re: comments on URPE history welcome

I was struck by the fact that the "history" doesn't include the _names_ of *any* URPE founders or leaders!!! Don't you think that David Gordon and others deserve a mention? Without any names, URPE's history sounds rather faceless and impersonal. Jerry

[PEN-L:6640] will the bosses pay $10?

doug (paul) since when is it our job to determine what the bosses can accomodate? e.g. you could make a case, and many have, that racism is so entwined with the u.s. economic system that it will never be completely eradicated without the overthrow of capitalism. if i were convinced of this,