Now at 115,000 members and in some polls level with Labour in terms of public support, CHRIS JARVIS looks at the factors behind the rapid rise of the Greens, internal and external
What are the ‘organic composition of capital’ and the ‘tendency for the rate of profit to fall?’
A whole host of damaging measures, from cuts to casualisation, outsourcing and raising the retirement age, are deployed for one reason: to fight the inevitable decline of profits, explains the MARX MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Witnessing a war of words at a meeting on tackling militarism at The World Transformed, BEN COWLES spoke to a union rep who is organising against war from inside the arms industry itself, to hear about worker-led solutions to ending weapons production
FRANCISCO DOMINGUEZ, ROGER D HARRIS and JOHN PERRY contrast Trump’s warships and F-35 fighters threatening Venezuela with the $20bn bailout for Milei’s collapsed economy, all enabled by a highly ideological IMF
KAY GREEN explains how the Middle East and colonialism were explored at at last weekend’s FiLiA conference
ROS SITWELL reports from Europe’s largest feminist conference – hosted this year in Brighton
Morning Star campaigns manager CALVIN TUCKER gives an update on the drive to raise £95,000 to see the people’s paper keep fighting the good fight against the rich and powerful
AT first glance perhaps just jargon to confuse the uninitiated and demonstrate the assumed superiority of those who know the answers, particularly because they involve measures and ratios. However, they are useful terms for understanding capital and capitalism.
First, the “organic composition of capital” (OCC). Capital is the means whereby production takes place and (for the capitalists, who own it) enables profit to be made. At its simplest, it consists of two elements, which Marx labelled “constant” and “variable.” The distinction is important, because ultimately only human labour can create new value.
In Capital, Marx illustrates the distinction in terms of a factory producing a particular commodity. Constant capital is the monetary value of components and materials, together with the fixed assets (such as plant and buildings) “used up” (as measured by depreciation or maintenance costs) during production and effectively embodied in the product when it is sold.
Similar stories
Labour’s fiscal policy is already in trouble. But simply printing money is not a solution, says the Marx Memorial Library and Workers School
RICHARD CLARKE recommends a hugely valuable text for those seeking theoretical analysis and practical action to defend public services
JON BALDWIN introduces a new translation of Karl Marx’s masterwork that is readable, relatable and refreshed
The youngest daughter of Karl Marx and her unwavering humanity in the face of injustice remain relevant for our times, writes DANA MILLS