Model 1. d. Input for Surplus
Value Sensitivity Analysis - the Length of the
Working Day
|
| Factor 1.
Length of working day in hours (number between 1 and
18): |
|
| LOWD
= Length of working day (hours) Try an initial value
of 10. Range (1 < LOWD< 18) See the Bureau of
Labor statistics for the number of hours worked per
week. (Bureau of Labor
Statistics estimates) Their Preliminary estimate
for average weekly hours of production or
nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls
for February 2001 was 34.2 hours per week. (March 18,
2001.) This works out to about 6.84 hours per week
for a 5 day week. For this model, these estimates
have to be later converted to yearly estimates. For
now we will remain with the current set up. |
| Factor 2.
Intensity of labor relative the the normal working
day (a number between 1 and 3): |
|
| IOL=intensity
of labor (1 = normal -- measures the number of
products per labour hour per hour) This is only
meanful between nations if there are differences and
if different branches within a country do not
simulteously and rapidly adjust to the same intensity.
Try initial value of 1. Range (1<IOL< 3) |
| Factor 3. a measure of
the Productivity of labor per worker per hour in
subsistence goods. (.20 - .65): |
|
| Productiveness
of labour (number of products per labour hour) This
only affects the value of labour-power, and the
magnitude of surplus-value if "the products of
the industries affected are articles habitually
consumed by the labourer." (K. Marx, Capital,
Vol I. International Publishers, p. 525) "...But
an increase in the productiveness of labour in
those,branches of industry which supply neither the
necessaries of life, nor the means of production for
such necessaries, leaves the value of labour-power
undisturbed." (K.
Marx, Capital, Vol I. International Publishers. p.
315.)
Try initial value of .45. Range(.2<POL<.45) In
this model the relationship of the measure of the
productivity of labor to the measure of the
subsistence bundle is an important ration determining
the rate of surplus value (if the length of the
working day is fixed). Empirical work on this ratio would be
particularly important. For the measure of the
subsistence bundle, productive workers would be the
relevant category. Shaikh and Tonak estimate that
productive workers in the U.S. economy make up about
36.3 % of total employment. This was for 1989. (Shaikh
and Tonak, 1994, page 303.) The also indicate that
the rate of surplus value (rate of exploitation ) for
the U.S. of productive workers 244 percent in 1989. (Shaikh
and Tonak, 1994, page 333.) |
| Factor 4. A
measure of the subsistence bundle of use values per
worker per day (1.0 - 2.6): |
|
| A
Measure of necessaries in subsistance bundle. There
is a difference here between the mass of necessaries
and a measure of the use value obtained from them. We
will ignore that for now. This is implicitly assumed
for chapter 17. by Marx to be constant. Try an
initial value of 1.48. Range(1<NUSVO<2.6) The
ratio of this number relative to the productiveness
of labor is important in determing the rate of
surplus value if the length of the working day is
held constant The empical estimat for of the rate of
surplus value is 244 %. The ratio of the subsistence
bundle to the productiveness of labor can be vaired
to get this empical value for the rate of surplus
value. The results will then have implications for
GDP, real and nominal wages and the other output
variables of the six output tables of the simulation
analysis. This will be examined in future work. |
| Factor 5.
Number of Workers per Capital |
|
| NOW
= Number of workers per capital. (number)Try an
initial value of 49. (range 40<NOW< 60, a rough
range of productive labor in the U.S. in millions)
There are about 135 people in the U.S. labor
force. However, not all produce surplus value.
Shaikh has estimated the proportion of the labor
force that is productive - that is productive of
surplus value. Of the 135 million about 49 million
according to some estimates would be productive in
terms of suplus value. (my rough estimates based on
the literature.) Check out the Bureau of Labor
Statistics for estimates of the
labor force. |
| Factor 6.
Definition of Gold ($35 and $450/oz) |
|
| IDG
= definition of gold (currency units per ounce) Try
an initial value of $450/ounce. Range (35<50<450)
Can be determined by the market or government
definition. It will depend on what issues are being
examined and what institutional forms prevail. Check
out the London Bullion
Market Association London Market Statictics on
Precious Metals for recent market
estimates. |
| Factor 7.
Socially Necessary labor per ounce of gold (5 to 50 (hours/oz) |
|
| IV
= labour value of gold (socially necessary hours of
abstract labour per ounce) Try an initial value of 10.
Range(5<IV<50) This factor needs much
conceptual development. The best way of dealing with
this would be to have an estimate of socially
necessary labor requirements. This would be difficult
to obtain. A indirect way of obtainin this is to take
the definintion of gold or market value and divide it
by the average hourly wage. This would give us a
rough ballpark estiamte of the socially necessary
labor per ounce. This assumes that the definintion of
gold or the market price reflects social value. In
the short run this may not be the case. |
| Factor 8.
Increment to the length of the length of the Working
day (%) |
|
| ITWD
= Increment in percent to the length of the working
day (sensitivity analysis factor) Try an initial
value of 1. Range (1<ITWD<10) % |
|
| Much
of this model is based on chapter 17 of K. Marx,
Capital, Vol. 1. International Publishers, pp. 519-530.
I have made some additions that will be duly noted.
Marx assumes that 1. commodities are sold at their
values; and 2. the price of labour-power rises
occasionally above its value but never sinks below it.
It is also assumed that constant capital is equal to
zero for this model. (Marx, Capital vol. 1,
International publishers. p. 510.) |
| Copyright
© 2001 Victor Kasper, Jr. All rights reserved. |