That address is the only place that I know where Marx uses the term. In the same address he give another example of this "political economy," in the 'demonstration value' of the cooperative organizations.
I think it's safe to say Marx was not arguing for the development of an alternate political economy along the lines of the Ten Hours Bill, or cooperatives, as a viable path to socialism. >From the rest of Marx's work, I think it is more than safe, but accurate, to say Marx proposes no "alternative," "radical" political economy, but its abolition. If I might ask the list's indulgence, let me provide a characterization of "political economic" vs. "social" from the history of the development of capitalism which might demonstrate that the difference is more than semantic, more than minor . I am referring to the difference between the "levellers" and the "diggers" up to, during, and after, the English Revolution and the ascent of Cromwell. The levellers, for all their radicalism, supported, defended private property-- believing in a political equality, a formal equality, where "each man can enjoy his own property." The diggers believed that private property was, or would become, by necessity unequal, and the formal liberty, equality, and freedom established by the revolution would be undermined and destroyed by the political economy of private property. The diggers proposed, and enacted, not just use of "the commons" by private property owners large or small, but the abolition of private property and thus conversion of the commons to a communism. The levellers were communists-- agrarian, idealistic, utopian to be sure, but communists. The diggers were "radical" political economists, so to speak. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mehmet Cagatay" <[email protected]> To: "David Schanoes" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2009 4:08 PM Subject: Re: [Marxism] political economy-- michael a. lebowitz wrote: "the political economy of the working class" [of which Marx spoke favourably ... Mr. Lebowitz is obviously referring to Marx's Inaugural Address for the International Working Men's Association. In his talk, Marx employs the phrase "the political economy of the working class" just to signify the particular gains of labor, of socialist politics (social production controlled by social foresight), against capital, and its political economy based on the laws of supply and demand. I have no idea if Marx ever mentioned elsewhere "the political economy of labor" as a distinctive theoretical discipline peculiar to working class. I would be appreciated if Mr. Lebowitz conveys us some other instances where Marx elaborates his thoughts on the subject. mç ________________________________________________ YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. Send list submissions to: [email protected] Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
