One of the nice things about being well-versed in Marxism

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

23. I don't think my post above implies

that a solution is given in Vol. 2; I simply say that it is ignored in his systematic undertaking of the problem. But Marx's solutions are always found in his critiques of the problem--in short, the problem has to go away to end alienation of the worker. An analysis of labor theory of value (and of surplus value) is crucial for this.

If one wants a pithy sentence in which Marx offers a simple solution, one will search in vain. The solution, however, is not simply deterministic. The final chapter of _CM_ makes this abundantly clear. Marx's sacastic treatment of hourly labor in Kapital Vol. 1 is great. If one can't see the unsustainability of the system here (and the immorality) then one isn't trying (not to accuse you of such things). Here's the link to section 10: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/ch10.htm

I think we can divine a general solution to the problem laid out above (though Marxists obviously disagree on the specifics--not a homogeneous group). I love the last paragraph of section 10:

"It must be acknowledged that our labourer comes out of the process of production other than he entered. In the market he stood as owner of the commodity “labour-power” face to face with other owners of commodities, dealer against dealer. The contract by which he sold to the capitalist his labour-power proved, so to say, in black and white that he disposed of himself freely. The bargain concluded, it is discovered that he was no “free agent,” that the time for which he is free to sell his labour-power is the time for which he is forced to sell it, [163] that in fact the vampire will not lose its hold on him “so long as there is a muscle, a nerve, a drop of blood to be exploited.” [164] For “protection” against “the serpent of their agonies,” the labourers must put their heads together, and, as a class, compel the passing of a law, an all-powerful social barrier that shall prevent the very workers from selling, by voluntary contract with capital, themselves and their families into slavery and death. [165] In place of the pompous catalogue of the “inalienable rights of man” comes the modest Magna Charta of a legally limited working-day, which shall make clear “when the time which the worker sells is ended, and when his own begins.” Quantum mutatus ab illo! [What a great change from that time! – Virgil] [166]"

It may be a day or so before I can return to this. Thanks for the reply.