数字时代资本主义的历史命运——基于利润率趋向下降规律的理论思考

The historical destiny of capitalism in the digital age:A theoretical reflection based on the law of declining profit rate

马克思发现了资本主义利润率趋向下降的规律,即在资本主义基本矛盾的作用下,由于剩余价值率与资本有机构成之间存在确定性的关系,不断扩大的社会再生产会导致资本主义的利润率呈现出不断下降的趋势,由此马克思揭示出资本主义必然灭亡的历史命运。但在数字资本主义时代,新的生产方式的出现使得剩余价值率的变化呈现出新的趋势。随着数字资本主义对“劳动行为”的扩展,数字剩余价值的生产成为剩余价值生产的新形式,其与传统的剩余价值生产共同组成了数字资本主义的剩余价值生产。又因数字劳动的体量巨大,全社会被剥削程度大幅提高,进而导致数字资本主义的剩余价值率与资本有机构成之间的动态变化关系更难以窥见。这似乎为资本主义利润率的变化提供了一个“反向”的可能,也为资本主义找到了“新生”的可能。然而事实上,即使利润率能够不降反升,数字劳动生产的一般数据也只作为生产资料存在,并直接投入扩大再生产,这并不能改变资本的运作逻辑,反而会进一步扩大资本积累,导致更严重的数字资本垄断。本质上,数字资本主义是资本为寻找新出路而创造出的新形态,最终只会进一步激化资本主义的基本矛盾,无法改变资本主义走向消亡的历史命运。

Marx discovered the law of declining profit rate within capitalism,which posits that under the influence of the fundamental contradictions of capitalism,the relationship between the rate of surplus value and the organic composition of capital leads to a continual decline in the rate of profit due to the expanding social reproduction.This observation highlights the inevitable historical fate of capitalism’s demise.However,in the era of digital capitalism,new modes of production have emerged,altering the trends in surplus value rates.With digital capitalism extending its reach to“labor behavior”,the production of digital surplus value has become a new form of surplus value production,coexisting with traditional forms.The vast scale of digital labor significantly increases the level of exploitation across society,complicating the dynamic relationship between the surplus value rate and the organic composition of capital.This scenario appears to offer a“reverse”possibility for changes in the profit rate,suggesting a potential for a“rebirth”of capitalism.Nevertheless,even if the profit rate could rise,the general data produced by digital labor merely functions as means of production,directly reinvested into expanded reproduction.This does not alter the operational logic of capital;rather,it further intensifies capital accumulation and exacerbates digital capital monopolies.Essentially,digital capitalism represents a new form created by capital in its quest for new avenues,ultimately intensifying the fundamental contradictions of capitalism and failing to alter its trajectory towards historical extinction.