The Science of Society (Classic Reprint)

The Cost Principle offers a bold rethinking of price, ownership, and fairness in everyday exchange.

This concise work argues that true justice in trade comes not from how much benefit one side gains, but from the costs borne by each party. It frames price as a moral and social question, aiming to move commerce toward more equitable, humane practices. The book challenges traditional price ideas and invites readers to consider how ownership, labor, and value are connected. It presents a theory of exchange that emphasizes cost as the key to fair dealings and explores how such a principle could reshape relationships between workers, capital, and markets.

• How cost should influence the terms of trade and ownership.
• Ways to reduce power imbalances between labor and capital in daily exchanges.
• How a principled approach to price might foster greater social harmony.
• Potential paths for adopting a common standard of fairness in commerce.

Ideal for readers of economic philosophy, social reform writing, and anyone curious about how principles could reshape ordinary commerce. This edition helps clarify a complex idea and shows why fairness in price matters beyond profits.