The machine only outputs the value you put into it, since it’s constant capital. 5G worth of raw materials produces 5G worth of transformed material. 10G produces 10G, etc. You can make your machines faster and more efficient but they will still output exactly what you put into them
the machine will still output 3G of transformed material for 3G of raw material
But if this is the case, then what good are machines at all? If they only output the same value that went into them, then wouldn’t that make them entirely superfluous? I can understand that human labor is always required in addition to any machine, but surely machines still do increase the value of the material input? And more so the more efficient you make that machine, otherwise what would it even mean to make it more efficient?
But if this is the case, then what good are machines at all? If they only output the same value that went into them, then wouldn’t that make them entirely superfluous? I can understand that human labor is always required in addition to any machine, but surely machines still do increase the value of the material input? And more so the more efficient you make that machine, otherwise what would it even mean to make it more efficient?