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Capital accumulation is a dynamic that motivates the pursuit of profit, involving the investment of money or a financial asset for the purpose of making more money (a financial return whether in the form of profit, rent, interest, royalties or capital gains). The process of capital accumulation is the basis and one of the defining characteristics of capitalism.〔''Unbounded Organization and the Future of Socialism'', by Howard Richards. 2013. Education as Change, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 229-242: "Capital accumulation is both a dynamic and a logic. It is a dynamic that motivates human action, namely the pursuit of profit. It is a logic that defines rational decision-making, namely optimizing profits by maximizing revenue from sales while minimizing costs...The case is better understood if one takes into account that accumulation is the mainspring (according to Marx, the invariable accompaniment and virtually the definition) of capitalism."〕〔''Capital'', Encyclopedia on Marxists.org: http://marxists.org/glossary/terms/c/a.htm#capital〕 In a more broad sense, capital accumulation may refer to the gathering or amassing of any objects of value as judged by one's perceived reproductive interest group. ==Definition== The definition of capital accumulation is subject to controversy and ambiguities, because it could refer to: *a ''net addition'' to existing wealth *a ''redistribution'' of wealth. Most often, capital accumulation involves both a net addition and a redistribution of wealth, which may raise the question of who really benefits from it most. If more wealth is produced than there was before, a society becomes richer; the total stock of wealth increases. But if some accumulate capital only at the expense of others, wealth is merely shifted from A to B. It is also possible that some accumulate capital much faster than others. In principle, it is possible that a few people or organisations accumulate capital and grow richer, although the total stock of wealth of society ''decreases''. In economics, accounting and Marxian economics, capital accumulation is often equated with investment of profit income or savings, especially in real capital goods. The concentration and centralisation of capital are two of the results of such accumulation (see below). Capital accumulation refers ordinarily to: *real investment in tangible means of production, such as acquisitions, research and development, etc. that can increase the capital flow. *investment in financial assets represented on paper, yielding profit, interest, rent, royalties, fees or capital gains. *investment in ''non-productive'' physical assets such as residential real estate or works of art that appreciate in value. and by extension to: *human capital , i.e., new education and training increasing the skills of the (potential) labour force which can increase earnings from work. *social capital , i.e. the wealth and productive capacity that the people in a society hold in common, rather than as individuals or corporations. * etc. Both non-financial and financial capital accumulation is usually needed for economic growth, since additional production usually requires additional funds to enlarge the scale of production. Smarter and more productive organization of production can also increase production without increased capital. Capital can be created without increased investment by inventions or improved organization that increase productivity, discoveries of new assets (oil, gold, minerals, etc.), the sale of property, etc. In modern macroeconomics and econometrics the term ''capital formation'' is often used in preference to "accumulation", though the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) refers nowadays to "accumulation". The term is occasionally used in national accounts. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Capital accumulation」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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