A clear, critical look at how value is determined and how wages and capital shape profits.
This examination surveys the major debates in value theory, focusing on the questions raised by Ricardo, Smith, and their successors. It explains how changes in wages and the mix of fixed and circulating capital can influence relative value and profits, and it argues for a precise understanding of cost of production as a key to value. The author grounds the discussion in concrete analyses and sets out the implications for the agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial systems.
- How value in exchange is determined and where traditional ideas go wrong.
- What happens to value and profits when wages rise or fall, across different capital mixes.
- How the productiveness of labor and the cost of production combine to shape prices.
- Where classic theories differ, and why a careful standard of value matters for interpretation.
Ideal for readers of economics history, political economy, and anyone exploring the foundations of value theory.