What’s Love Got to Do with It? Diamonds and the Accumulation of De Beers, 1935-55

What’s Love Got to Do with It? Diamonds and the Accumulation of De Beers, 1935-55
Cochrane, DT. (2015). Unpublished PhD Dissertation. Program in Social and Political Thought. York University. December. (Thesis; English).

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Abstract or Brief Description

What is accumulation? Visibly, accumulation is a quantitative process, demarcated in financial quantities. However, what is the meaning of those quantities? This question has been the subject of great debate within political economic thought. A new theory of accumulation, capital as power (CasP), argues that the financial quantities of accumulation express the distribution of power among the owners of capital over the qualitatively diverse, complex and mutating social order. With this dissertation, I explore the relationship between the quantities and qualities of accumulation by examining the De Beers diamond cartel, focusing on the period 1935-55. What does it mean to say ‘capital is power’ in the specific setting of the global diamond assemblage? Research and analysis led me to focus on four important relationships that De Beers had to establish, maintain and transform in its struggle for differential accumulation: with diamonds themselves; with potential and actual diamond buyers; with governments; and, with families, especially the Oppenheimer family that controlled De Beers for over 80 years.

Language

English

Publication Type

Thesis

Keywords

antitrust advertising capital accumulation cartel culture De Beers diamonds family globalization market research monopoly quantity-quality state of capital WWII

Subject

BN International & Global
BN Law
BN Power
BN Production
BN Region - Africa
BN Region - Europe
BN Region - North America
BN Agency
BN State & Government
BN Value & Price
BN Business Enterprise
BN Capital & Accumulation
BN Culture
BN Industrial Organization
BN Institutions

Depositing User

Jonathan Nitzan

Date Deposited

09 Feb 2016 20:08

Last Modified

09 Feb 2016 20:08

URL:

https://bnarchives.net/id/eprint/469

Commentary/Response Threads

• Cochrane, DT What’s Love Got to Do with It? Diamonds and the Accumulation of De Beers, 1935-55. (deposited 09 Feb 2016 20:08) [Currently Displayed]
  • Cochrane, DT Why Diamonds and De Beers?, or The Need for Accumulation Studies. (deposited 01 May 2016 15:15)

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