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The Impact of Financialization on the Rate of Profit: A Discussion

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  • Di Bucchianico, Stefano

    (Roma Tre University)

Abstract

The present work, by making use of the ‘integrated wage-goods sector’ methodology proposed by Gareg-nani, investigates some channels through which financialization may impact the normal rate of profit. We analyze the effect of a higher profit share in the financial sector, the technical innovations in the financial sector and rising household indebtedness. We find that none of them influences normal profitability, with the exception of one type of technical innovation. We subsequently critically discuss some Marxian strands of analysis that describe financialization as a temporary countertendency to supposed falling gen-eral profitability. We argue in favor of a separate analysis between growth caused by private borrowing and the study of a normal distribution. Finally, a recent attempt to read the ‘sixth’ countertendency to the falling rate of profit listed by Marx as an anticipation of the phenomenon of financialization is criticized, proposing an alternative interpretation.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Bucchianico, Stefano, 2019. "The Impact of Financialization on the Rate of Profit: A Discussion," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP36, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:sraffa:0036
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    Cited by:

    1. Zolea, Riccardo, 2021. "The relation between interest rate and profit rate: the role of bank profitability in an endogenous money framework," MPRA Paper 108973, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Loretta Mastroeni & Alessandro Mazzoccoli & Greta Quaresima & Pierluigi Vellucci, 2021. "Wavelet analysis and energy-based measures for oil-food price relationship as a footprint of financialisation effect," Papers 2104.11891, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2022.
    3. Stefano Di Bucchianico & Federica Cappelli, 2021. "Exploring the theoretical link between profitability and luxury emissions," Working Papers PKWP2114, Post Keynesian Economics Society (PKES).
    4. Zolea, Riccardo, 2022. "A Model of the Relationship between the Interest Rate and the Profit Rate," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP55, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    falling profitability; financialization; financial crisis; rate of profit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B14 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Socialist; Marxist
    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • P12 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Enterprises

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