On Materiality and Social Form: A Political Critique of Rubin’s Circulationist Value-Form Theory

AXEL KICILLOF & GUIDO STAROSTA

Historical Materialism

Brill Academic Publishers

Lugar: Leiden; Año: 2007 vol. 15 p. 9 - 43

Th is paper critically examines I.I. Rubin’s Essays on Marx’s Th eory of Value and argues that two different approaches to value theory can be found in that book: a more ‘production-centred’ value-form theory uneasily co-exists with a ‘circulationist’ perspective. Th is unresolved tension, the authors claim, reflects a more general theoretical shortcoming in Rubin’s work, namely, a problematic conceptualisation of the inner connection between materiality and social form that eventually leads to a formalist perspective on the value-form. Furthermore, the paper argues that all those antinomies are an expression of the historical and political context underlying Rubin’s work, in which Marxism was being codified as state ideology. Th e political implications of Rubin’s formalism are explored through the critical examination of its consequences for the comprehension of the social determinations of the revolutionary subjectivity of the working class. different approaches to value theory can be found in that book: a more ‘production-centred’ value-form theory uneasily co-exists with a ‘circulationist’ perspective. Th is unresolved tension, the authors claim, reflects a more general theoretical shortcoming in Rubin’s work, namely, a problematic conceptualisation of the inner connection between materiality and social form that eventually leads to a formalist perspective on the value-form. Furthermore, the paper argues that all those antinomies are an expression of the historical and political context underlying Rubin’s work, in which Marxism was being codified as state ideology. Th e political implications of Rubin’s formalism are explored through the critical examination of its consequences for the comprehension of the social determinations of the revolutionary subjectivity of the working class. Essays on Marx’s Th eory of Value and argues that two different approaches to value theory can be found in that book: a more ‘production-centred’ value-form theory uneasily co-exists with a ‘circulationist’ perspective. Th is unresolved tension, the authors claim, reflects a more general theoretical shortcoming in Rubin’s work, namely, a problematic conceptualisation of the inner connection between materiality and social form that eventually leads to a formalist perspective on the value-form. Furthermore, the paper argues that all those antinomies are an expression of the historical and political context underlying Rubin’s work, in which Marxism was being codified as state ideology. Th e political implications of Rubin’s formalism are explored through the critical examination of its consequences for the comprehension of the social determinations of the revolutionary subjectivity of the working class.