you might want to mention that in Marx, such numerical examples are for a single worker or bunch of workers who represent the average worker for all of capitalist society, while McD's is like Marx's "Moneybags," representing the average capitalist. When we talk about averages (or abstract from differences within each of the two main classes), then the "labor theory of value" works exactly, so that total McD revenue = C + V + S measured in either money or labor-time (value). It's only when heterogeneity within each of the classes is introduced that prices deviate from values.
Strictly speaking, if there's only one (representative) capitalist and one (representative) worker, the worker also creates the inputs to production, so that total McD revenue = V + S (or what economists call "value added"). I hope this makes sense -- and helps. On Sun, Oct 28, 2012 at 8:37 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Friends and Colleagues, > I'm writing a brief article on the labor theory of value and wanted input on > the math (below) and or your own ideas/methods of teaching this concept to > undergrads. I will quote you in the piece and add your ideas, if they are > suited, I am writing this for an anthropology newsletter and it may appear > elsewhere after it is done. Here is the beginning. Thank you all in > advance. Best, Brian > > The Vampire at Work > If Marx’s Math is Fundamental, Why do so few Teach it? > > Brian McKenna > > “Capital is theft. Your employer legally steals the products of your labor. > Do you know the math?” I ask my anthropology students. > > They sit, stony faced. > > “Has anyone here ever worked for McDonalds?” I ask. Usually about 5 or 6 of > my 60 Introduction students raise their hands. > > “And the pay. . . . how was it?” > > “It was horrible, about $6.00 an hour.” “We were exploited, man.” > > “Exploited?” I inquire. “How so?” > > “We should’ve been getting at least 10 bucks an hour,” a young woman says. > > “You have no idea,” I respond. “Let’s look at how Karl Marx might see it.” > > Marx Flipping Burgers > > Let’s say young Karl left the University of 1834 and was transported here to > Detroit Michigan in 2012 and found himself desperate to pay for college. He > finds a job at the local McDonald’s as a burger flipper. Now flipping > requires several skills, including, > > Now I want to compare two sets of times for his work. One time, during a > rush hour. Another time during an hour’s lull in customer activity. > > Besieged by a customer rush, young Marx, frantically flips 210 hamburgers > between 5PM and 6 PM one evening. At $ 1.00 a sandwich, his labor helps to > bring in $210.00 in McDonald’s revenue. > > Two hours later, the rush in abeyance, Karl flips just 70 burgers between > 8PM and 9 PM. He’s still quite busy, but that hour McDonald’s revenue from > the meat drops to $70.00 > > Question for the class: Given that Karl Marx performed three times the labor > in the first hour than the second hour, helping his boss earn $210 versus > $70 dollars, how much more money did Marx receive in compensation for that > hour? > > “None, he still gets the same,” a student answers. > > “Yes, not a cent more. Young Marx is still paid the $5.50 per hour with no > benefits.” > “Well, why not get “$52.50, the first hour and $17.50 the second hour,” I > ask, “That might be closer to the value that you added. > > The Labor theory of Value (section being written) > > > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l > -- Jim Devine / If you're going to support the lesser of two evils, at the very least you should know the nature of that evil. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
