LU Baolin;CHEN Hongchi;

• 1:College of Economics
• 2: Fujian Normal University
• 3:School of Marxism
• 4: Renmin University of China

Abstract：

Brenner believes that the decline in profitability that began in the mid-1960s was rooted in overcapacity and overproduction caused by intensified international competition in the manufacturing sector. The reason why the decline in profit rate caused by excessive competition has been delayed in recovery is mainly due to insufficient exit and excessive entry into the production sector with oversupply. Brenner criticized the supply-side explanation for only focusing on the “vertical” relationship between capital and labor, underestimating the “horizontal” relationship between capital and the resulting economic contradictions. Critics argue that the linear explanation of attributing the decline in profit rate to international competition is seriously flawed and cannot place labor relations at the center of capitalist historical narratives a priori. This article systematically reviews the debate surrounding Brenner's “Theory of Excessive International Competition” and summarizes it as “The Second Brenner Debate”.

Key Words： profit squeeze;excessive competition;manufacturing overcapacity;competitive relationship;labor-capital relationship

Abstract:

Keywords:

Foundation:

Authors: LU Baolin;CHEN Hongchi;

References：

• 高峰.2012.关于马克思主义竞争理论的几个问题[J].中国人民大学学报，26(6):43-48.GAO F.2012.On competition theory of Marxian economics[J].Journal of Renmin University of China,26(6):43-48.(in Chinese) 关锋.2022.“布伦纳辩论”及其马克思主义思想史效应[J].学术月刊，54(5):16-27.GUAN F.2022.“Brenner debate” and its effect on the history of Marxist thought[J].Academic Monthly,54(5):16-27.(in Chinese) 鲁保林.2013.利润挤压和利润非挤压：理论与实证[J].教学与研究，(9):47-54.LU B L.2013.Profit squeeze and non profit squeeze:Theory and empirical evidence[J].Teaching and Research,(9):47-54.(in Chinese) 鲁保林，陈鸿池.2022.利润率下降规律不是一个确定性命题吗?[J].当代经济研究，320(4):51-61.LU B L,CHEN H C.2022.Isn't the law of tendency of the rate of profit to decline a deterministic proposition?[J].Contemporary Economic Research,320(4):51-61.(in Chinese) 鲁克俭，郑吉伟.2006.布伦纳的政治马克思主义评析[J].当代世界与社会主义，(2):25-31.LU K J,ZHENG J W.2006.A review of Brenner's political Marxism[J].Contemporary World and Socialism,(2):25-31.(in Chinese) 罗伯特·布伦纳.2016.全球动荡的经济学[M].郑吉伟，译.北京：中国人民大学出版社.(original language) Brenner R.2006.The economics of global turbulence[M].London,New York:Verso. 马克思，恩格斯.1995.马克思恩格斯全集(第30卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.1998.马克思恩格斯全集(第31卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思.2004a.资本论(第1卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思.2004b.资本论(第2卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思.2004c.资本论(第3卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2008.马克思恩格斯全集(第34卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2009a.马克思恩格斯文集(第2卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2009b.马克思恩格斯文集(第4卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2009c.马克思恩格斯文集(第5卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2009d.马克思恩格斯文集(第7卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2009e.马克思恩格斯文集(第8卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 马克思，恩格斯.2013.马克思恩格斯全集(第35卷)[M].中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局，译.北京：人民出版社. 孟捷，向悦文.2012.竞争与制度：马克思主义经济学的相关分析[J].中国人民大学学报，26(6):32-42.MENG J,XIANG Y W.2012.Competition and institutions:Marxian analyses[J].Journal of Renmin University of China,26(6):32-42.(in Chinese) 孟捷，龚剑，向悦文.2012.马克思主义竞争理论的发展研究[J].经济学家，(10):5-12.MENG J,GONG J,XIANG Y W.2012.A study on the development of Marxist competition theory[J].Economist,(10):5-12.(in Chinese) 齐昊.2010.马克思主义是怎样解释金融危机的——围绕布伦纳的争论[J].政治经济学评论，1(3):147-162.QI H.2010.How does Marxism explain the financial crisis?the debate about Robert Brenner[J].China Review of Political Economy,1(3):147-162.(in Chinese) 王生升.2023.政治经济学范式视阈下的利润率趋向下降规律——兼评置盐定理对社会总资本再生产理论的系统偏离[J].马克思主义研究，(7):92-109,156.WANG S S.2023.The law of the tendency of the rate of profit to fall from the perspective of political economy paradigm—Also on the systematic deviation of Okishio theorem to the theory of total social capital reproduction[J].Studies on Marxism,(7):92-109,156.(in Chinese) 谢富胜.2007.资本主义劳动过程与马克思主义经济学[J].教学与研究，(5):16-23.XIE F S.2007.Capitalist labor process and Marxist economics[J].Teaching and Research,(5):16-23.(in Chinese) 谢富胜，李安.2009.分工动态与市场规模扩展——一个马克思主义经济学的分析框架[J].马克思主义研究，(9):49-58,160.XIE F S,LI A.2009.The dynamics of the division of labor and the expansion of the market scale—An analysis framework of Marxist economics[J].Studies on Marxism,(9):49-58,160.(in Chinese) 亚当·斯密.2014.国民财富的性质和原因的研究(上卷)[M].郭大力，王亚南，译.北京：商务印书馆.(original language) Smith A.1937.An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations[M].New York:The Modern Library. 张衔，薛宇峰.2020.对置盐定理的批判性解构[J].中国社会科学，(6):94-119,206.ZHANG X,XUE Y F.2020.The critical deconstruction of the Okishio theorem[J].Social Sciences in China,(6):94-119,206.(in Chinese) 张秀琴.2011.马克思主义社会与历史理论的经济学视角——罗伯特·布伦纳教授访谈[J].北京行政学院学报，(6):53-57.ZHANG X Q.2011.The economic perspective of Marxist social and historical theory[J].Journal of Beijing Administration Institute,(6):53-57.(in Chinese) BEITEL K.2009.The rate of profit and the problem of stagnant investment:A structural analysis of barriers to accumulation and the spectre of protracted crisis[J].Historical Materialism,17(4):66-100. BODDY R,CROTTY J.1975.Class conflict and macro-policy:The political business cycle[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,7(1):1-19. BONEFELD W.1999.Notes on competition,capitalist crises,and class[J].Historical Materialism,5(1):5-28. BRENNER R.1999a.Reply to critics[J].Comparative Studies of South Asia,Africa and the Middle East,19(2):61-85. BRENNER R.1999b.Competition and class:A reply to foster and McNally[J].Monthly Review,51(7):24-44. BRENNER R.2002a.Competition and profitability:A reply to Ajit Zacharias[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,34(1):35-44. BRENNER R.2002b.The trajectory of the manufacturing profit rate:A reply to Duménil and Lévy[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,34(1):49-56. BRENNER R.2007.Property and progress:Where Adam Smith went wrong[M]//WICKHAM C.Marxist history—Writing in the twenty-first century.Oxford:Oxford University Press. CARCHEDI G.1999.A missed opportunity:Orthodox versus Marxist crises theories[J].Historical Materialism,4(1):33-56. CROTTY J.1999.Turbulence in the world economy by Robert Brenner[J].Challenge,42(3):108-119. DUM??NIL G,L??VY D.1999.Brenner on distribution[J].Historical Materialism,4(1):73-94. DUM??NIL G,GLICK M,L??VY D,et al.2001.Brenner on competition[J].Capital & Class,25(2):61-77. DUM??NIL G,L??VY D.2002.Manufacturing and global turbulence:Brenner's misinterpretation of profit rate differentials[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,34(1):45-48. FINE B,LAPAVITSAS C,MILONAKIS D.1999.Addressing the world economy:Two steps back[J].Capital & Class,23(1):47-90. FOSTER J B.1999.Is overcompetition the problem?[J].Monthly Review,51(2):28-37. GLYN A,SUTCLIFFE B.1971.The critical condition of British capital[J].New Left Review,1(66):3-33. HUSSON M.1999.Riding the long wave[J].Historical Materialism,5(1):77-102. KAIWAR V.1999.The dilemmas of late Capitalism[J].Comparative Studies of South Asia,Africa and the Middle East,19(2):47-52. LEBOWITZ M A.2000.In Brenner,everything is reserved[M]//LEBOWITZ M A.Following Marx:Method,critique and crisis.Chicago:Haymarket Books. LIPIETZ A.1986.Behind the crisis:The exhaustion of a regime of accumulation.a “regulation school” perspective on some French empirical works[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,18(1-2):13-32. LIPIETZ A.1988.Accumulation,crises,and ways out:Some methodological reflections on the concept of “regulation”[J].International Journal of Political Economy,18(2):10-43. McNALLY D.1999.Turbulence in the world economy[J].Monthly Review,51(2):38-52. SHAIKH A.1986.Current world economic crisis:Causes and implications[J].Guild Practitioner,(43):71-90. SHAIKH A.1999.Explaining the global economic crisis[J].Historical Materialism,5(1):103-144. SMITH M.1999.The necessity of value theory:Brenner's analysis of the “long downturn” and Marx's theory of crisis[J].Historical Materialism,4(1):149-169. SMITH T.1999.Brenner and crisis theory:Issues in systematic and historical dialectics[J].Historical Materialism,5(1):145-178. WEEKS J.1979.The process of accumulation and the “profit-squeeze” hypothesis[J].Science & Society,43(3):259-280. WOOD E M.1999.Horizontal relations:A note on Brenner's heresy[J].Historical Materialism,4(1):171-180. WRIGHT E O.1999.Alternative perspectives in Marxist theory of accumulation and crisis[J].Critical Sociology,25(2-3):115-142. ZACHARIAS A.2002.Competition and profitability:A critique of Robert Brenner[J].Review of Radical Political Economics,34(1):19-34.
• (1)1976年,罗伯特·布伦纳在《过去与现在》杂志发表长文《前工业化时期欧洲农业阶级结构和经济发展》,提出阶级斗争及其形塑的社会财产关系才是影响长期性经济增长、社会发展的决定性因素,由此开启了近20年的“布伦纳辩论”(关锋,2022)。 (2)这一因素导致了生产率增长的下降。 (3)“资产阶级在它的不到一百年的阶级统治中所创造的生产力,比过去一切世代创造的全部生产力还要多,还要大。”(马克思和恩格斯,2009a,p.36) (4)马克思说,“在资本主义生产(这种生产在它的整个范围内都是商品生产)基础上”,“在商品生产及其绝对形态即资本主义生产的基础。”(马克思,2004c,p.717,718) (5)命题a之前隐含着一个前提:由于相对剩余价值生产,资本技术构成提高的趋势是用机器取代活劳动(王生升,2023)。 (6)参见马克思(2004c,p.294),鲁保林和陈鸿池(2022)。 (7)参见马克思(2004c,p.251)。