Capitalism as Theft

Although Calendar isn’t the best forum to debate capitalism, Russell Dvonch’s March 18 letter defending greed demands a response. The reason capitalism is theft has to do with “surplus value”--the difference between the selling price and the cost of equipment, materials, marketing and labor. All down the line, “profit” is really the result of unpaid labor that creates additional goods without commensurate additional cost.

The capitalist claims this profit by virtue of his capital alone, which in most cases is the result of economic, racial and social inheritance, not hard work.

MARK LEVITON

Granada Hills