dd writes > I think it would be possible in principle to come up > with a mathematically rigorous definition of "the productive forces" in > terms of the ability to produce arbitrary physical objects of a given > information-theoretic complexity of structure, and then carry the analysis > on from there.
I would be possible to generate such an index if you had adequate data. However, the resulting measure would _not_ be a meaningful measure of "the productive forces." Productive forces must produce "what people want." And what people want changes over time and cannot be tracked by "arbitrary physical objects." But recognizing this might, actually, be very interesting even from within an (otherwise) narrow Marxian perspective. If one class becomes convinced that the existing tools, machines, and equipment fail to produce "what they want," then they might come to see that the existing forces of production are insufficient for their needs. And, perhaps, they might act to alter both the forces of production and the social relations of production (recogizing that FoP and SRP codetermine each other). I'm sure there are logical connections missing in the previous paragraph but the basic idea is okay, I think. It underlines the importance that ideology--or at least ideas--have in determing so-called "material" reality/facts. Eric .
