The circulation sphere has been growing larger and larger since the universalization of computers. Our so-called information technology (as it pertains primarily to Dept. 1) is nothing more than an added layer of circulation costs required to realize the final sale of commodities. (These costs come out of production costs---and are presented as a 'discount' to retailers; they do not add to the final value of the product, however, thus they cannot be 'passed on' to the final consumer.) Once upon a time a businessperson made a sale without the highly developed network of computers and computer-based services ubiquitous today.Now these things must be added to the list of constant capital---which, of course, reduces the previous 'dependence' upon variable capital (and seemingly all the 'labor hassles' that come with it).
With me so far?
So erm..... business tends to be capital intensive now. If you dont have the IT goodies you cant meet client demanda to their satisfaction relative to others who do have IT goodies.
The notion that 'workers spend what they get. and capitalists get what they spend' suggests that capitalist are getting less and less, because less and less is going to workers, as more and more is going into so called 'dead labor'.
Capital intensive companies should be dying like flies. Except theyre growing like summer flowers.
Whats goin on? Dead labor is worth alot more in its ability to be wealth creating alongside 'live labor' users than was ever its exchange value. A machine costs 10 spades but does the work of 1000 etc. The scope of wealth creation does continue to increase, for as many moments as we can ominously say "for the moment". The living standard of said workers contines to 'drop' as evidenced by ever (in general) relatively cheaper goods, more access to mass communications, medicine, cheaper holidays, better housing, safer everything, massive entertainment capacity, increasing actual leisure time, labor saving devices (linked to the leisure time increase) and so forth, all things I have actually heard people have the gall to disparage as 'trinkets'.
Who is getting the benefit of those thinner profit slices per $ capital? the above.
Where shall we throw our Sabot next?
