Marxian Political Economy Overview

The concept that nature is not simply an input to production, but is an integral part of the capitalist system.

The theory that value is created through the exchange of commodities in a market economy.

The process by which capital is accumulated through the production and sale of commodities.

The process by which labor is used to transform raw materials into commodities.

The act of buying and selling commodities in a market.

The idea that capitalism is an inherently crisis-prone system due to contradictions between its own needs and the limitations of the natural world.

The argument that capitalism should be understood as a process that unfolds within the interconnected web of life.

The idea that extra-human nature is essential to understanding the workings of capitalism.

The process of extending the workday without improving production methods to increase surplus value.

The process of increasing the productivity of labor and nature to reduce the value of labor and increase surplus value.

The drive to improve production processes and technologies to increase efficiency and gain a competitive advantage.

The increasing use of materials and energy due to rising labor productivity.

The reduction in the value composition of inputs through efficiency improvements, which ultimately contributes to higher labor productivity and surplus value.

The relentless search for new sources of natural resources to fuel production, driven by the need for increased resource throughput.

The struggle for competitive advantage that drives individual capitalists to adopt technological advancements to increase profits.

The process of investing in new technologies and expanding production to drive economic growth.

The continuous influx of new workers from rural areas to urban centers due to the growth of industry and the need for cheap labor.

The theory explaining the emergence of large-scale industries as a result of increasing labor productivity and the need for greater production capacity.

The increasing use of resources beyond direct labor exploitation, driven by the need for materials, energy, and technological advancements.

The continuous pursuit of new, more efficient, and cheaper sources of energy to power production and reduce costs.

The impact of technological advancements on the environment, including increased resource extraction, waste generation, and pollution.

The role of capitalism in driving global expansion and resource extraction, seeking new markets and resources to fuel production.

The time spent by labor in conjunction with nature, measured by the market, is what truly creates value in the capitalist system.

The idea that capitalism is not limited to the everyday world of production but is driven by a constant need to increase surplus value, leading to expansion and geographical impacts.

The difference between the value of a commodity and the value of the labor and nature inputs used to produce it. It represents the excess value extracted by the capitalist.

Surplus value is divided among capitalists, with part of it being reinvested to expand production and further increase surplus value.

Marx's theory shows that even in a competitive market, surplus value is still realized by the capitalist due to their ownership of capital and exploitation of labor.

The surplus value that results from the combination of labor and nature's work beyond the costs of their reproduction.

The capitalist system operates on the basis of a relational and ideological abstraction of value, where only paid labor is valued, devaluing unpaid work.

The use of the term 'exploitation' in a strictly analytical sense to describe the process of producing surplus value through the combination of labor and nature.

The concept that surplus value is not solely a result of labor exploitation but is also derived from the unpaid contribution of nature.

A key concept in Marxist theory that argues that capitalism is built on the exploitation of labor by capitalists. It's the foundation for class conflict and social struggle.

The drive for surplus value fuels the continuous intensification of the exploitation of both labor and nature by capitalists in order to maximize profits.

The idea that humans are not separate from nature but are part of the web of life, emphasizing the interconnectedness of social processes and natural forces.

This concept acknowledges that while humans are the initiators of the labor process, they cannot function without nature's contribution.

Even though humans are the initiators of social labor, the labor process acknowledges the role of natural forces beyond human control, recognizing the limitations of human power.

The idea that the law of entropy can be reversed within limited domains, just as social labor can partially control and harness natural forces.

The idea that the value of a good is determined by the amount of labor time needed to produce it.

The theory that value is not only based on labor time, but also on the interaction between labor and nature, recognizing that nature is actively involved in the production process.

A measure of the average labor time required to produce a good or service, incorporating both human and natural inputs.

The belief that nature's contribution to value is limited to its use-value, while the creation of exchange value is solely attributed to labor. This view is challenged by the co-production of value.

The use-value of a commodity refers to its practical utility or its ability to satisfy a need, while its exchange-value is determined by its worth in exchange for other commodities, typically expressed in money.

An abstraction that refers to the general economic forces that influence prices and production, even if they are not directly observable.

The process by which labor and nature combine to create value, highlighting their interdependency and the active role of both in production.

A key element in the co-production of value theory, emphasizing that humans are intrinsically linked with nature and technology, influencing our understanding of labor and value.

The work that is done without pay, including the labor performed by humans and the natural world. These unpaid contributions are essential for value creation, but are often overlooked in traditional economic models.

The constant drive for capital accumulation, characterized by a desire to expand production, increase profits, and perpetually invest in new ventures. This is fundamentally driven by the pursuit of surplus value.

A economic approach that prioritizes equilibrium prices, utility maximization, and the efficiency of markets, often neglecting concepts like class, exploitation, and the social implications of production.

A school of economic thought that emphasizes the relationship between economic activity and social and political structures, often focusing on issues of inequality, power, and conflict.

The process by which average labor time is established, incorporating the necessary inputs from labor and nature, reflecting the competitive forces of the market.

An approach to economics that incorporates the values and perspectives of marginalized groups, acknowledging the diverse experiences and impacts of economic activities.

The process of exploiting resources and labor outside of the typical capitalist market for lower costs.

The continuous search for lower-cost inputs such as labor, energy, materials, and food to increase profit margins.

The tendency for the rate of profit to fall as capital accumulation progresses.

Capitalists' ability to find and exploit resources and labor outside of the typical market at lower costs.

The increasing use of technology and capital relative to labor in production, which puts downward pressure on profit rates.

The process of turning waste products into profitable commodities, extending the reach and impact of capitalist production.

The negative consequences of capitalist production on nature, such as pollution, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.

The historical process of securing cheaper inputs from outside the existing capitalist system, often through colonial expansion and exploitation of new territories.

The process of expanding the scale of production and consumption, leading to increased environmental impact and waste generation.

The disproportionate increase in waste generated during the production process compared to consumption.

The introduction of new and potentially toxic substances through industrial processes, leading to new forms of pollution and environmental damage.

The process of capitalist expansion into regions with low costs of production, often through displacement of local populations and appropriation of natural resources.

The concept that capitalism's search for cheaper inputs, such as labor and natural resources, is a key driving force behind its historical expansion.

The Marxist theory that the search for cheap inputs is an essential part of capitalist accumulation, and that it has significant implications for understanding the relationship between capitalism and the environment.

The process by which unpaid work, outside the market, is incorporated into the capitalist system.

The process of taking control of land, resources, and people from previous social systems and turning them into commodities.

The unpaid labor of reproduction, including housework, childcare, and care for the elderly, which reduces the cost of labor power for capitalists.

The process of turning non-marketized work and natural resources into commodities that can be bought and sold in the market.

Direct appropriation occurs when capitalist enterprises directly extract cheap resources or labor from non-market sources, often through exploitation.

Indirect appropriation involves the commodification of products from small producers who work outside the formal capitalist economy, creating surplus value for capitalist production.

The exploitation of labor power within the capitalist system, where workers are paid less than the value they create.

Capitalist enterprises seek to reduce the cost of production by exploiting cheaper labor and natural resources.

The process by which capitalist production expands into new territories and sectors, seeking new sources of labor, resources, and profit.

The environmental consequences of capitalist production, including resource depletion, pollution, and climate change.

The process by which capitalist production becomes more efficient and productive through technological advancements and innovation.

Economic expansion is not just about moving 'outward' from existing centers of capital. New frontiers of exploitation can also emerge within the heartland of existing capitalist territories.

Capitalism is a dynamic system that constantly seeks new ways to increase productivity and reduce costs. This often leads to technological advances and the creation of new industries.

While distant colonies and resource extraction play a big role in capitalist expansion, the development of domestic resources within a nation is also crucial.

The ability of European nations to develop significant industrial resource production, despite being geographically small, highlights the importance of capital and technology for resource exploitation.

The idea that the United States became a major resource producer was not solely due to its natural resources but also because of industrialization and advanced technology.

The concept that new technologies and industrial methods are frequently used to expand the exploitation of resources, even within existing national economies. This can involve the displacement of labor as machines and factories become more efficient.

The spread of capitalism creates new centers of economic power and interaction between different regions. It is not simply a story of 'center' vs 'periphery'.

The process of displacing indigenous populations from their lands to acquire resources for the capitalist market. This involves exploiting and disrupting existing social and ecological systems.

The new imperialism of the late 19th century involved a rapid and massive expansion of capitalist production and resource extraction on a global scale. This led to the creation of new 'peripheries' and 'centers' of economic power.

The search for new and cheaper resources is a driving force behind capitalist expansion. This creates new opportunities for resource extraction and exploitation.

The value of labor power is determined by the amount of socially necessary labor time required to produce and reproduce it (i.e., the time it takes to raise a worker from infancy to adulthood).

Workers recruited from non-capitalist societies, such as peasants, represent a net subsidy to capitalist accumulation because they embody unpaid labor accumulated outside the capitalist system. This creates an extra margin of surplus value for capitalists.

Using cheap materials or resources acquired at prices below their real value (e.g., seizing land from indigenous people or paying a pittance for oil leases) results in extra profits for the enterprises involved, further boosting accumulation. This is sometimes called 'primitive accumulation'

Output prices are lowered when production inputs are cheaper, leading to a cascading effect where other companies benefit from these cheaper inputs, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of accumulation.

Simple commodity producers, like farmers in a global market, are often forced to sell their products below their actual value due to the lack of recognition for their labor time and unpaid work, making them cheap inputs for the capitalist system.

Capitalist accumulation relies not just on exploiting labor, but also on extracting resources from nature, often in ways that are not fully accounted for by market prices. This process can be viewed as a parallel mechanism to increasing productivity.

Capitalization and appropriation work in tandem, with cheap inputs often allowing for investments in new technologies and vice versa. This creates a dynamic loop of expanding capitalism.

Cheap labor and resources from frontier regions often lead to the adoption of advanced industrial organization and technological innovation. These frontiers are thus sites of both commodity exploitation and technological advancement.

Agricultural revolutions, often fueled by the petro-farming model, have been crucial for producing cheaper food and reducing the cost of labor power by increasing output with less labor. This contributes to the exploitation of nature alongside labor.

A theory of capitalist exploitation and appropriation must be geographically grounded, considering how different regions contribute to accumulation in the global system. This includes the role of frontiers, cheap inputs, and the unequal distribution of resources and labor.

This theory argues that capitalism is not just about exploiting labor, but also about exploiting nature, and that the drive for profit fuels the relentless search for new resources and technologies to expand production and increase surplus value. This expansion has profound consequences for planetary boundaries.

The process of increasing the rate of surplus value through technological innovations and the appropriation of cheap inputs from frontier regions is not a choice, but a relentless drive inherent to the functioning of capitalism.

The value of labor power and nature is not fully accounted for in the market system. The drive for surplus value leads to an uneven distribution of benefits, enriching some and impoverishing others. This creates a system of inherent inequality.

The drive for profit and expansion, fueled by the search for cheap resources and labor, leads to the degradation and depletion of natural resources, contributing to environmental problems like climate change.

The phenomenon where surplus capital, unable to find profitable investment opportunities within the traditional economy, drives capitalists to seek out new sources of cheap resources and labor, often through aggressive exploitation and expansion.

The process of intensifying resource extraction, labor exploitation, and technological advancement, driven by the constant need for surplus value and the pursuit of profit.

The concept that capitalism's relentless drive for expansion and profit leads to the overexploitation of natural resources, ultimately undermining natural systems and potentially leading to ecological collapse.

The observation that the rising value composition of raw materials, particularly energy, impacts both circulating capital and fixed capital, contributing to a falling rate of profit and inhibiting the expansion of profitable investment opportunities.

The tendency for fixed capital, like machinery and factories, to grow more rapidly than the availability of raw materials, leading to a potential mismatch between supply and demand for essential resources.

The observation that the cost of raw materials and energy is inversely proportional to the rate of profit. Cheaper inputs lead to higher profitability, while rising input costs create downward pressure on profits.

The process by which labor combines with nature to create surplus value, where the value of labor and nature is not fully compensated, resulting in an uneven distribution of benefits.

The recognition that beyond the formal labor market, value creation also relies on unpaid work done by humans, such as care work, and by nature itself, which are essential for the functioning of the economy.