マルクスから見た現代資本主義の未来

『資本論』草稿からレント資本主義へ

抄録

As many scholars have pointed out, a new form of capitalism is emerging — a capitalism which has been referred to as “surveillance capitalism,” “platform capitalism,” “techno-feudalism,” or “rentier capitalism.” Brett Christophers notes that, since the 1970s, capitalism has become increasingly dependent on rent extraction, based on monopolies of land, infrastructure, and intellectual property, among others. The new form of capitalism has further built a monopoly system of platforms, big data, and algorithms within industry itself. Based on these observations, if the mass production and mass consumption of the automobile industry was the model for the Fordist system of capital accumulation in the past, the monopoly of the digital giants is the model for the new system of rent extraction. Over the preceding half century of “secular stagnation,” capitalism has undergone a major structural transformation — at least in “developed countries.” Capitalism has lost the conditions necessary for stimulating the production of surplus value and the accumulation of capital. However, this does not mean a decline in the dominance of capital: this is because capital has weakened the working class through neoliberal restructuring and increased earnings through intensified exploitation and financialization. As such, “rentier capitalism” can be regarded as an extension of this process. Marx did not expect that capitalism could become so powerful despite long-term stagnation in capital accumulation. However, if we interpret Marx’s Capital as a system of economic form determinations, we can find the key to understanding this paradox. In this paper, I examine this new form of capitalism based on Marx’s Capital and the related manuscripts. In so doing, I provide suggestions regarding the future direction of contemporary capitalism.