The producers of means of production cannot consume the surplus value contained in their own surplus product. Part of this surplus value/product is consumed by them productively, as part of their own accumulation of capital. Part is consumed productively by exchanging it with the producers of consumer goods (indirectly, who provide the additional variable-capital by which the former are able to employ additional workers). Another part is consumed unproductively by exchange with the producers of consumer goods, who provide them with commodities for personal consumption, in exchange for the means of production required for their own accumulation of capital. This is illustrated in the following schema provided by Ken Tarbuck, in his analysis of Bukharin on The Economics of the Transition Period.
He assumes a closed economy, rate of surplus value of 100%, rate of accumulation of 50%, and organic composition of capital of 5:1. Total output in each department is designated w, with the subscript 1 and 2 referring to the particular department. The starting position is:
Department 1
c 10834 + v 2166 + s 2166 = 15166 w
Department II
c 3166 + v 633 + s 633 = 4432 w
Total social product is 15,166 (w1) + 4,432 (w2) = 19,598
Looking at the process of social reproduction and accumulation, we then get the following division.
Department I
c 10834 + v 2166 + s 1083 + 902.5 cs + 180.5 vs
In other words, 50% of produced surplus value is consumed unproductively, with the other half being accumulated into constant and variable capital in the ratio 5:1.
Similarly, for
Department II
c 3166 + v 633 + s 316.5 + 263.5 cs + 53 vs (NB. should actually be (263.75 and 52.75)
We can now see, how the schedules of supply and demand for means of production and consumption arise, and how an accumulation of capital in both Department I and II then occurs.
Supply for Department I in Production Period 1 (PP1) is:
10834 c + 2166 v + 2166 s = 15,166
Demand for this output comes from
10834 (c1) this is the replacement, in kind, of Department I means of production from its own output
902.5 (c1), which represents the accumulation of constant capital by Department I from its surplus value/product.
3166 (c2), which is the replacement of Department II means of production consumed in its own production.
263.5 (c2), which is the additional means of production demanded by Department II, a a result of its own accumulation of capital, out of surplus value.
Total demand is then also 15,166.
and supply for Department II is:
c 3166 + v 633 + s 633 = 4432
Demand for this output comes from
2,166 (v1) demand for consumer goods from Department I workers
180.5 (v1) demand for consumer goods by the additional Department I workers employed as a result of capital accumulation.
1,083 (s1) demand for consumer goods from Department I capitalists
633 (v2) demand for consumer goods by Department II workers
53 (v2) demand for consumer goods from the additional Department II workers resulting from capital accumulation.
316.5 (s2) demand for consumer goods from Department II capitalists
Again total demand amounts to 4432.
Production Period 2 then begins with capital of 18,199, compared with 16,799 at the start of Period 1. Additional capital of 1400 has been accumulated.
At the end of three cycles total capital would be 21,360, an increase of 4561.
“Do we deny that capitalism needs a foreign market? Of course not. But the question of a foreign market has absolutely nothing to do with the question of realisation, and the attempt to link them into one whole merely expresses the romantic wish to “retard” capitalism, and the romantic inability to think logically.” (p 162)
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