Primitive Accumulation

Primitive AccumulationPrimitive Accumulation

CapitalCapital, Volume I, Part VIII, Volume I, Part VIII

Chapters 26 - 33Chapters 26 - 33

Structure of SectionStructure of Section

Chapter 26 - Overview: Secret of Prim. Accum.Chapter 26 - Overview: Secret of Prim. Accum. Chapters 27-28 - Formation of Working ClassChapters 27-28 - Formation of Working Class Chapters 29-31 - Formation of Capitalist ClassChapters 29-31 - Formation of Capitalist Class Chapter 32 - Logical End to sectionChapter 32 - Logical End to section Chapter 33 - Wakefield on ColoniesChapter 33 - Wakefield on Colonies

Chapter 26: Secret of Primitive Accumulation

Chapter 26: Secret of Primitive Accumulation

Origins of Capitalist SocietyOrigins of Capitalist Society Myth: individual achievement vs failureMyth: individual achievement vs failure Marx: class formation via forceMarx: class formation via force

Expropriation = formation of working classExpropriation = formation of working class Concentration of wealth = formation of capitalist Concentration of wealth = formation of capitalist

classclass

Chapter 26: CommentaryChapter 26: Commentary

Myth of Political EconomyMyth of Political Economy Anyone can become a capitalistAnyone can become a capitalist Those who are lazy remain workersThose who are lazy remain workers Dickens ridicules in Dickens ridicules in Hard Times Hard Times

Marx was NOT an historical-materialistMarx was NOT an historical-materialist His own denial in Russian debateHis own denial in Russian debate

Capitalism can NOT eliminate the antagonisms Capitalism can NOT eliminate the antagonisms and ever renewed alternativesand ever renewed alternatives

The Rise of the Working ClassThe Rise of the Working Class

Creation was forced, not spontaneousCreation was forced, not spontaneous

Chapter 27: Forced from land, toolsChapter 27: Forced from land, tools Chapter 28: Forced into waged labor Chapter 28: Forced into waged labor

Chap27: Expropriation (1st step)Chap27: Expropriation (1st step)

Destruction of AutonomyDestruction of Autonomy Expropriation of land, toolsExpropriation of land, tools Marx: examples from England, ScotlandMarx: examples from England, Scotland Since: colonialism, on-going processSince: colonialism, on-going process Resistance: need for force result of fierce Resistance: need for force result of fierce

resistanceresistance Resistance: reversal of enclosures, land reformResistance: reversal of enclosures, land reform

Chap27: CommentaryChap27: Commentary

Transition from FeudalismTransition from Feudalism Tales of ResistanceTales of Resistance The World Turned Upside DownThe World Turned Upside Down Enclosures of WaterEnclosures of Water Enclosures in the United StatesEnclosures in the United States Enclosure of the Female BodyEnclosure of the Female Body Struggle for Cultural DiversityStruggle for Cultural Diversity

Music of ResistanceMusic of Resistance

The Highland Clearances (?????)The Highland Clearances (?????) The World Turned Upside Down (1649)The World Turned Upside Down (1649) The Great Eel Robbery (????)The Great Eel Robbery (????) The Farmer is the Man (1890s)The Farmer is the Man (1890s) Rain on the Scarecrow (1985)Rain on the Scarecrow (1985)

Chapter 28: Bloody Legislation (2nd step)

Chapter 28: Bloody Legislation (2nd step)

Bloody Laws to impose workBloody Laws to impose work Resistance: barbarity of laws result of degree of Resistance: barbarity of laws result of degree of

refusalrefusal Anti-vagrancy laws, anti-migration laws Anti-vagrancy laws, anti-migration laws

(border controls)(border controls) Anti-direct appropriation lawsAnti-direct appropriation laws Spread with primitive accumulation (to US, Spread with primitive accumulation (to US,

colonies)colonies) Reappear in response to uncontrolled mobilityReappear in response to uncontrolled mobility


Refusal of FactoryRefusal of Factory Street as an Alternative to FactoryStreet as an Alternative to Factory The Nature of the State: The Nature of the State:

organ of class powerorgan of class power terrain of struggleterrain of struggle

Working Class Struggles: CombinationsWorking Class Struggles: Combinations Vagrancy Laws During ReconstructionVagrancy Laws During Reconstruction The Wage, its absence & imposition of workThe Wage, its absence & imposition of work


Roll Down the Line (1890s) Roll Down the Line (1890s) Factory (1978)Factory (1978)

The Rise of the Capitalist ClassThe Rise of the Capitalist Class

Self-formationSelf-formation Struggles to replace previous ruling classStruggles to replace previous ruling class Struggles to create working classStruggles to create working class

Overview of MaterialOverview of Material

Chap29: Rise of Agrarian CapitalistsChap29: Rise of Agrarian Capitalists Chap30: Creation of Home MarketChap30: Creation of Home Market Chap31: Rise of Industrial CapitalistsChap31: Rise of Industrial Capitalists

Chap29: Rise of Agrarian CapitalistsChap29: Rise of Agrarian Capitalists

Trajectory of formation highly variedTrajectory of formation highly varied Variation result of different starting points, Variation result of different starting points,

forces along the wayforces along the way Baileff, farmer, metayer, farmer properBaileff, farmer, metayer, farmer proper Key: rising control over land & laborKey: rising control over land & labor


Control over land often sought for autonomyControl over land often sought for autonomy Resistance of farmers to market in USResistance of farmers to market in US Third World ParallelsThird World Parallels

Land Reform MovementsLand Reform Movements Zapatista revolt response to NAFTAZapatista revolt response to NAFTA

Use of Inflation in Primitive & Mature Use of Inflation in Primitive & Mature AccumulationAccumulation rapid inflation to transfer wealthrapid inflation to transfer wealth marginal inflation to keep w = productivitymarginal inflation to keep w = productivity


Seven Cent Cotton (1927)Seven Cent Cotton (1927) Corrido de Delano (1966)Corrido de Delano (1966) Maggie’s Farm (1965)Maggie’s Farm (1965)

Chap30: Creation of Home MarketChap30: Creation of Home Market Expropriation means Expropriation means

people no longer meet their own needspeople no longer meet their own needs people must BUY what they needpeople must BUY what they need

To be able to buy they must sell themselvesTo be able to buy they must sell themselves So, expansion of home market result of creation So, expansion of home market result of creation

of labor marketof labor market Resistance: value of homespun, gardening, Resistance: value of homespun, gardening,

subordination of market to other valuessubordination of market to other values e.g., Brazilian herbal markete.g., Brazilian herbal market


Imposition of MarketImposition of Market Valorization & DisvalorizationValorization & Disvalorization Agricultural Development & “productivity”Agricultural Development & “productivity”

Chap31: Genesis of Industrial Capitalist

Chap31: Genesis of Industrial Capitalist

Annexation of labor through merchant capitalAnnexation of labor through merchant capital Concentration of Wealth through FORCEConcentration of Wealth through FORCE

colonialism: violence & plunder (business + state)colonialism: violence & plunder (business + state) slavery & wage slaveryslavery & wage slavery

Monopolization of tradeMonopolization of trade control over labor force, e.g., elimination of weaverscontrol over labor force, e.g., elimination of weavers

Public Debt - then and nowPublic Debt - then and now centralization of moneycentralization of money use of centralized money?use of centralized money?


Myth of EntrepreneurshipMyth of Entrepreneurship Worker initiative + capital constraintWorker initiative + capital constraint

Capitalist Development & Role of StateCapitalist Development & Role of State From tool of capital to terrain of struggleFrom tool of capital to terrain of struggle

Colonialism & Accumulation of CapitalColonialism & Accumulation of Capital Raw materials, trade, outlet for capital, vs:Raw materials, trade, outlet for capital, vs: internationalization of labor controlinternationalization of labor control

Slavery & Child LaborSlavery & Child Labor

Chap33: Theory of ColonialismChap33: Theory of Colonialism

Reading mainstream economicsReading mainstream economics Apology vs managerial guidelinesApology vs managerial guidelines Wakefield = “development economist”Wakefield = “development economist” Problem: availability of land = worker power to Problem: availability of land = worker power to

refuse workrefuse work Solution: make land less available, make it Solution: make land less available, make it

harder for workers to escape wage slaveryharder for workers to escape wage slavery

Chap32: The Historical TendencyChap32: The Historical Tendency

Logical Culmination of BookLogical Culmination of Book Sweeping Historical Periodization:Sweeping Historical Periodization:

Phase I: private property based on laborPhase I: private property based on labor ended by “first negation” -violentended by “first negation” -violent

Phase II: private property in capitalismPhase II: private property in capitalism ended by “second negation” -less violentended by “second negation” -less violent expropriation of expropriatorsexpropriation of expropriators

Phase III: social property in means of productionPhase III: social property in means of production

Dialectics - IDialectics - I

Dialectics = a kind of movementDialectics = a kind of movement Heraclitus = restlessness, becomingHeraclitus = restlessness, becoming Plato/Socrates = dialogos, one kind of logicPlato/Socrates = dialogos, one kind of logic Hegel = cosmology, movement of zeitgeistHegel = cosmology, movement of zeitgeist Marx = movement of capital - class struggleMarx = movement of capital - class struggle

orthodox Marxism sees “dialectical materialism”orthodox Marxism sees “dialectical materialism” others see critique of capitalism, possibility of non-others see critique of capitalism, possibility of non-

dialectical futuredialectical future

Dialectics - IIDialectics - II Best known element: thesis, antithesis, synthesisBest known element: thesis, antithesis, synthesis

Hegel: being, nothing, becomingHegel: being, nothing, becoming Marx: capital, struggle of skilled workers, fordism Marx: capital, struggle of skilled workers, fordism

and deskilled labor force (incorporates skills in and deskilled labor force (incorporates skills in engineering class and machinery)engineering class and machinery)

Other elements: (many, many)Other elements: (many, many) e.g., negation of negation = positive changee.g., negation of negation = positive change e.g., reflexive mediatione.g., reflexive mediation e.g., syllogistic mediatione.g., syllogistic mediation

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Primitive Accumulation

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