Marx-Engels Correspondence 1868
Source: MECW, Volume 43, p. 30;
First published: in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx Stuttgart, 1913.
Dear Fred,
Best thanks for your marginal notes. I have included them in the letter to Schweitzer as far as necessary. My letter is so coolly phrased that it will not be ‘shown around’.
Now I would like to ask you for information on another subject. However, you can postpone this if it should interrupt the work for the Fortnightly, which is urgent.
The point is that I would like to link up with Volume I in the examples given in Volume II.
In order to use the data on your factory given on p. 186 completely sufficient to illustrate the rate of surplus value — for the rate of profit; the following would be necessary:
1. The missing data on the capital advanced for the factory building and the percentage of the sinking fund for this. Ditto warehouse. In both cases, the rent should be given, if paid. Also the office costs and costs of staff for the warehouse.
With regard to the steam engine, no data is given on the percentage at which the weekly wear and tear is calculated, and therefore the capital advanced for the steam engine is not visible either.
2. Now the real question. How do you calculate the turnover of the circulating part of capital (i.e. raw material, auxiliary materials, wages)? How great then is the circulating capital advanced? I would like to receive this answered in detail even illustrated, particularly the turnover calculation of the circulating capital advanced.
Tomorrow I shall send you the crazy Urquhart for your amusement.
Salut.
Your
K. M.