Understanding the economy
The hidden face of economic phenomena
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK The book provides an introduction to the Marxist economic analysis of the capitalist system. The first six chapters consider the structure of the economy and adopt an essentially static point of view. These chapters analyse... Lees verder
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
The book provides an introduction to the Marxist economic analysis of the capitalist system.
The first six chapters consider the structure of the economy and adopt an essentially static point of view. These chapters analyse successively : 1. the basis of goods and services (namely labour, in combination with nature) ; 2. the basis of prices and revenues (namely value, i.e. labour devoted to the production of commodities) ; 3. the basis of profit and accumulation (surplus value, surplus revenue) ; 4. the basic economic ratios (rate of surplus value, composition of capital, rate of profit) ; 5. the competition for the share-out of surplus revenue between firms and between branches ; 6. the relationships between the capitalist sector and non-capitalist sectors.
The last three chapters adopt an essentially dynamic viewpoint and analyse various aspects of growth. Chapter 7 successively considers the development of mechanization, the contradiction between socialization of production and concentration of capital, the expansion of waged labour and market production, the human and ecological costs of growth. Chapter 8 deals with the conflicts over the rate of surplus value ; it shows that increases in general productivity make it theoretically possible to simultaneously raise profits, real wages and public expenditure. Chapter 9 deals with the problem of crises ; it shows how changes in the balance of forces, combined with the evolution of general productivity, have actually shaped the evolution of profits, real wages and public expenditure in advanced countries since 1950.
The conclusion moves out of the economic framework of the preceding analyses in order to show the various elements (in the socio-economic, political and ideological structures) which combine to make a joint contribution to the reproduction of capitalism.
Each chapter is complemented with a summary of the argument, as well as a selection of " theoretical " and " practical " exercises : the former are aimed at checking the assimilation of the material, while the latter enable readers to establish links between theory and present-day realities.
Thanks to its outstanding pedagogical qualities, the book constitutes a first-class textbook for students and teachers as well as for any interested reader, even without previous knowledge. At the same time, the book expresses (and justifies in appendices) a number of non-conventional theoretical viewpoints which deserve consideration by specialists.
Gegevens
- Uitgever
- Diffusion universitaire Ciaco
- Auteur
- Jacques Gouverneur,
- Collectie
- Divers
- Taal
- Engels
- Categorie uitgever
- > Economische en sociale wetenschappen > Economische wetenschappen > Economische theorieën
- Categorie uitgever
- > Economische en sociale wetenschappen > Economische wetenschappen > Politieke economie
- Onix Audience Codes
- 06 Professional and scholarly
- Voor het eerst gepubliceerd
- 2005
- Type werk
- Monografie
Paperback
- Publicatie datum
- 01 januari 2005
- ISBN-13
- 9782874190933
- Omvang
- Aantal pagina's hoofdinhoud : 267
- Formaat
- 210 x 297 cm
- Gewicht
- 399 grams
- Aanbevolen verkoopprijs
- 36,79 €
- ONIX XML
- Version 2.1, Version 3
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EXTRACTS FROM THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I : THE BASIS OF GOODS AND SERVICES : LABOUR
- The material aspects common to all labour
- The various social aspects of labour
CHAPTER II : THE BASIS OF PRICES AND REVENUES : VALUE
- The concept of commodity
- The hidden face of commodities : value
- The visible expression of value : prices
- The basis of revenues : new value
CHAPTER III : THE BASIS OF PROFIT AND ACCUMULATION : SURPLUS VALUE
- The source of profit : surplus labour
- The use of profit : accumulation
CHAPTER IV : THE BASIC ECONOMIC RATIOS
- Presentation of the three ratios
- Analysis of the factors affecting the three ratios
CHAPTER V : COMPETITION FOR THE SHARE-OUT OF SURPLUS REVENUE
- Distribution of total surplus revenue
- Relations between profitable and non-profitable enterprises
CHAPTER VI : CAPITALISM AND NON-CAPITALIST PRODUCTION
- Capitalism and enterprises relying on self-employment
- Capitalism and public enterprises
- Capitalism and the institutional sector
- Capitalism and the non-professional sphere
- Labour and incomes in the whole society
CHAPTER VII : BASIC TENDENCIES AND CONTRADICTIONS OF GROWTH
- The development of mechanization
- The growing contradiction between the socialization of production and the concentration of capital
- The expansion of production, waged labour and markets
- The contradiction between the search for private profit and the satisfaction of social needs
CHAPTER VIII : CONFLICT AND COMPROMISE OVER THE RATE OF SURPLUS VALUE
- Methods of increasing the rate of surplus value
- Compatibility between accumulation, wage-earners' consumption and public expenditure
- Effects of the internationalization of productive capital
CHAPTER IX : GROWTH AND CRISES
- Growth before the Second World War
- Growth from 1945 to 1974
- The structural crisis since 1975
CONCLUSION : THE REPRODUCTION OF CAPITALISM
THEORETICAL APPENDICES
- Theoretical viewpoints adopted in the book
- A brief comparison with national income accounting
- The money equivalent of value (E)
- Labour productivity
- The basis of wages and wage differentials
- The production of value and surplus value in qualitative terms : the question of productive labour
- The production of value and surplus value in quantitative terms : the question of more productive, more intensive or more skilled labour
- Additional comments on the basic economic ratios
- A " law of the falling tendency of the rate of profit "?
- The law of the equalization of the rate of profit
- Reproduction schemes
- On social classes
GLOSSARY
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS