Week 2

Key Questions

• What constitutes exploitation under capitalism? How do capital, labor, and class fit into this framework of exploitation?

• How is the rate of exploitation divergent under capitalism? What does this demonstrate about the relationship between class, race, and gender?

• How is capital accumulated? What is the role of competition in accumulation? What are the consequences of accumulation?

Required Materials:

• Hadas Thier, A People's Guide to Capitalism: An Introduction to Marxist Economics, "Where Do Profits Come From?"

• Hadas Thier, A People's Guide to Capitalism: An Introduction to Marxist Economics, "The Accumulation of Capital"

Supplementary Materials:

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Mr. Moneybags"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Exploitation"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Class Struggle"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Dis-Uniting Class"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Collective Labor"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Reproduction"

• Reading Capital with Comrades, "Capital's Tendencies"