The Value Of Labor

At the heart of today’s fierce political anger over income inequality is a feature of capitalism that Karl Marx famously obsessed over: the commodification of labor. Most of us think wage-labor economics is at odds with socialist thinking, but as Martha Lampland explains in this fascinating look at twentieth-century Hungary, there have been moments when such economics actually flourished under socialist regimes. Exploring the region’s transition from a capitalist to a socialist system—and the economic science and practices that endured it—she sheds new light on the two most polarized ideologies of modern history. Lampland trains her eye on the scientific claims of modern economic modeling, using Hungary’s unique vantage point to show how theories, policies, and techniques for commodifying agrarian labor that were born in the capitalist era were adopted by the socialist regime as a scientifically designed wage system on cooperative farms. Paying attention to the specific historical circumstances of Hungary, she explores the ways economists and the abstract notions they traffic in can both shape and be shaped by local conditions, and she compellingly shows how labor can be commodified in the absence of a labor market. The result is a unique account of economic thought that unveils hidden but necessary continuities running through the turbulent twentieth century.

In this book Ernesto Screpanti provides a rigorous examination of Marx’s theory of exploitation, one of the cornerstones of Marxist thought. With precision and clarity, he identifies the holes in traditional readings of Marx’s theory before advancing his own original interpretation, drawing on contemporary philosophy and economic theory to provide a refreshingly interdisciplinary exegesis. Screpanti’s arguments are delivered with perspicuity and verve: this is a book that aims to spark a debate. He exposes ambiguities present in Marx’s exposition of his own theory, especially when dealing with the employment contract and the notions of ‘abstract labor’ and ‘labor value’, and he argues that these ambiguities have given rise to misunderstandings in previous analyses of Marx’s theory of exploitation. Screpanti’s own interpretation is a meticulously argued counterpoint to these traditional interpretations. Labour and Value is a significant contribution to the theory of economics, particularly Marxist economics. It will also be of great interest to scholars in other disciplines including sociology, political science, and moral and political philosophy. Screpanti’s clear and engaging writing style will attract the interested general reader as well as the academic theorist.

A history of the labor theory of value through an analysis of the works of several prominent figures in the field. Authors discussed include Adam Smith, Ricardo, Malthus, McCulloch, James Mill, Torrens, Senior, John Stuart Mill, and Cairns.

This republication of a long out-of-print collection of essays, first published in 1979, focuses on the elusive concept of “value.” The field of study surrounding the theory of value remains comparatively sparse in Anglophone circles, and the essays here aim to answer the question, “Why is Marx’s theory of value important?”

This volume contains an English translation of Karl Marx's influential essay.

Karl Marx's ideas have been declared "dead" on more than one occasion, only to emerge with new relevance a few years later. But the "collapse of communism" seemed to be the final nail in his coffin. The end of history had been reached, we were told, and poor old Karl was wrong. -- Or was he? In Marx's Labor Theory of Value: A Defense, Hayashi Hiroyoshi argues that Marx will continue to be relevant as long as capitalism continues to exist. This is simply because no one grasped the nature of capitalism on a more profound level than Marx did. Hayashi presents the most fundamental aspects of Marxist economic thought, centering on the discussion of the commodity at the beginning of Capital. Also included are detailed examinations of Adam Smith's theory of value and the concepts of ground-rent, credit, and productive labor. Hayashi shows that Marx's labor theory of value is the key not only to understanding capitalism but also for grasping the essential characteristics of socialism. And socialism--as the real solution to the contradictions of capitalism--turns out to have little in common with the recently deceased "communist" states. Now that history has resumed--after its brief "hiatus"--it's time to return to Marx!

This pioneering survey of the development of the “labor theory of value,” advances Marxian economic categories for contemporary conditions.