tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post7650338560324120843..comments2024-03-29T09:14:53.583+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Marxism and Higher EducationPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-43704967278687744782010-10-13T14:18:10.773+01:002010-10-13T14:18:10.773+01:00The question being what is the "economy"...The question being what is the "economy"? Just like the question what is "society"? In effect society, and the economy are not one thing of which we are all homogenous parts of. Both the economy and society are divided into classes with antagonistic interests. Because Capital controls both, when its said that "society" or "the economy" should contribute, what it actually means in the end is that Workers should contribute, while Capital takes the benefit. The vast bulk of the taxes collected for such things are not from Capital, which either avoids paying, or else passes on the cost to workers in prices, but are paid by workers and the middle class.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-31491430120562101552010-10-13T13:00:48.696+01:002010-10-13T13:00:48.696+01:00"in effect, students will be picking up the t..."in effect, students will be picking up the tab and subsidising their future employers."<br /><br />This is one of the things really jarring me. HE is being geared even further to suit the whims of the economy but students are effectively being asked a HUGE entrance fee to be able to take part in it. If the economy is going to benefit so much from HE then surely it should make some kind of contribution to it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-321826964252469922010-10-13T12:36:52.951+01:002010-10-13T12:36:52.951+01:00Phil,
I agree with all this. There are questions...Phil,<br /><br />I agree with all this. There are questions, as I've raised elsewhere though concerning now, and a socialist society.<br /><br />1. In both cases there are limited resources. Choosing to use them in one way, means not using them in another. Even if we say, don't build Trident expand HE, we have to recognise that in a Capitalist economy the immediate effect would be job losses at Barrow or wherever with no logical transfer of those workers to providing HE, or for the needs of the students for 3-4 years. A socialist economy would deal with that by planning over a longer period to be able to make adjustments.<br /><br />2. Rationing HE (or any other) education on the basis of ability maintains inequality, for the reasons Marx sets out. Some people are more intelligent or academically inclined, so providing them with further advantages through education increases inequality. Moreover, the reality under Capitalism is that these two qualities are closely related to existing wealth anyway.<br /><br />3. Although, what you say about Surplus value is correct, there is also the question of turnover rates. Bikharin in his "Economics of The Transition Period", shows that you can screw up an economy by putting to many resources into long-term projects. They may result in higher Value production later, but in the meantime all of the workers/students not putting value back into the economy have to be fed,clothed, housed and so on, by other workers who are putting value into the economy. Get the balance wrong and instead of rising output, you enter a death spiral.<br /><br />4. That's one reason that marx advocated that Education should be combined with work. He and the International argued that everyone from the age of 8 upwards capable of work should work. He argues that the value put into the economy by those in education, should be used to offset the cost of that education. He also argued AGAINST free higher education, because it did mean subsidising the rich - though times have changed, and I don't think that argument stands.<br /><br />I do think his ideas on Education are relevant, and the UK has some strange practices on HE - such as students not studying locally - that do not exist elsewhere. I always thought that some of the young people I worked with who were sent to College, and University at the same time as earning and gaining experience benefitted.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.com