Rather than respond quickly to Ajit's critique of my statements my recent missive, I just want to restate (in stark form) the two pen-l challenges I've been trying to pose. Both of these are for Marx-scholars: 1. Where does Marx say what the _purposes_ of value theory (or the law of value) are? What does he say? 2. Is there any chapter in the three volumes of CAPITAL which does not have any reference to his theory of commodity fetishism? BTW, I view any reference to the distinction between the way things _appear_ to the participants in the system (including economists) and the way Marx says the capitalist system _really works_ as examples of the theory of commodity fetishism. I've got a third challenge: 3. Is there any place where Marx refers to his own theory as a "labor theory of value"? I know he refers to Ricardo and others as having such a theory, but what about his own? in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles, CA 90045-2699 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- K. Marx, paraphrasing Dante A.
