The Reproduction of money material in Marx’s Capital II (by way of a critique of Sandemose’s ‘gold digging’)

The question of the reproduction of money material is a crucial feature in the investigation of the cycle of the total social capital that Marx tackled in the context of simple reproduction analysis in Part Three of Capital II. However, his inquiry was left unfinished, so the problem remained ultimately unsolved. This unsettled character was first identified by Luxemburg and later by Grossman. Sandemose attempted to reconstruct the ‘missing fragment’ of Marx’s investigation, where the analysis of the reproduction of the constant capital of gold producers should have been accomplished, alleging that its absence contributed to keep out of sight a central problem addressed there by Marx: that is, ‘the problem of the excess money necessary for the passage from simple reproduction to accumulation’. Sandemose claims also to have accurately reconstructed the passage, attaining a definite solution to the problem that Marx left unanswered. This article shows that both allegations are completely unwarranted. First, it demonstrates that under simple reproduction assumptions there is actually no (net) hoard formation (‘excess money’), in spite of Sandemose’s claim. This also entails a critique of Marx’s conclusions. As a corollary, Sandemose’s thesis that the central problem Marx addressed there was that of the ‘excess money’ needed for accumulation proves to be untenable. Second, the article also demonstrates that Sandemose’s reconstruction of Marx’s ‘missing fragment’ is fundamentally flawed, offering at the same time a consistent alternative. By this means, the investigation initiated by Marx is finally completed. As a result, and beyond its outward polemic character, this article actually renders an ideal (i.e. in thought) simple reproduction of the real process of reproduction of the total social capital, where replacement of the money material is fully taken into account.

GOLD PROVENANCE AND CHARACTERIZATION USING MICRO X-RAY FLUORESCENCE (µXRF): PRELIMINARY RESULTS/ PROVENIÊNCIA E CARACTERIZAÇÃO DE OURO COM MICRO FLUORESCÊNCIA DE RAIOS X (μXRF): RESULTADOS PRELIMINARES

This work presents some preliminary results that allows to characterize gold samples using Micro X-Ray Fluorescence/µXRF. The first aim of this work is to apply a noninvasive technique, preserving the sample integrity, in order to identify the composition of gold samples and to recognize their possible geographical provenance. Samples have been obtained in geographically distinct gold-digging sites, in three Brazilian and one Colombian areas. These samples were processed only by fusion into a furnace at 1,200 ºC. The proportion of Au, Ag and Cu were measured in gold samples. The results of this work, allowed to characterize and to identify quite well the pure gold provenance, using µXRF instrumentation and related techniques. Further work is in progress to determine the behavior of mixed gold samples from different provenances. Besides that, measurements with different sample preparation will be made, in order to compare the results obtained in this work with those obtained by LA-ICP-MS techniques. ResumoEste trabalho apresenta resultados preliminares que permitem caracterizar amostras de ouro utilizando a Micro Fluorescência de Raios-X/ µXRF. O primeiro objetivo deste trabalho é aplicar uma técnica não invasiva, preservando a integridade da amostra, para identificar a composição de amostras de ouro e reconhecer a sua possível proveniência geográfica. As amostras foram obtidas em locais de exploração de ouro geograficamente distintos, em três áreas brasileiras e uma colombiana. Estas amostras foram sugeitas a fusão a 1.200 ºC, num forno. A proporção de Au, Ag e Cu foi medida em amostras de ouro. Os resultados deste trabalho permitiram caracterizar e claramente identificar a proveniência de ouro puro, utilizando resultados de µXRF. Estão em andamento outros trabalhos para determinar o comportamento da mistura de amostras de ouro de diferentes procedências. Além disso, serão efetuadas medições com diferentes preparações de amostras, a fim de comparar os resultados obtidos neste trabalho com os que estão sendo aquiridos com técnicas de LA-ICP-MS.

Alimony Panic, Gold Diggers, and the Cultural Foundations of Early Twentieth-century Marriage Reform in the United States

By the late 1920s, the belief that US men were being exploited by the so-called gold diggers seeking advantageous divorces was widespread. Organizations like the Alimony Payers’ Protective Association and the Alimony Reform League were created to combat the perceived problem of gold digging ex-wives. Several states considered legislation to restrict alimony payments. Yet, the overall instances of alimony were relatively rare. This article explains the rise of anti-alimony sentiment during the late 1920s through an examination of the gold digger trope. Anti-alimony agitation represented a response to the changes in women’s roles and sexual norms in the 1920s.