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Testing Böhm-Bawerk’s theory of capital: Some evidence from the Finnish economy

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  • Theodore Mariolis
  • George Soklis
  • Eugenia Zouvela

Abstract

This paper considers the pure labour theory of value and Böhm-Bawerk’s theory of capital as approximations of Sraffa’s model of single production, and tests them with data from the Symmetric Input-output Tables of the Finnish economy. The results show that (i) in comparison with the labour values, the actual Böhm-Bawerkian production prices are ‘equally’ good or even better approximations of the actual Sraffian production prices and market prices; and (ii) the Sraffian production price-profit rate relationship is, by and large, governed by the differences in the Böhm-Bawerkian average periods of production. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Theodore Mariolis & George Soklis & Eugenia Zouvela, 2013. "Testing Böhm-Bawerk’s theory of capital: Some evidence from the Finnish economy," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 26(2), pages 207-220, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:revaec:v:26:y:2013:i:2:p:207-220
    DOI: 10.1007/s11138-012-0187-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    14. Theodore Mariolis & Lefteris Tsoulfidis, 2010. "Measures Of Production Price‐Labour Value Deviation And Income Distribution In Actual Economies: A Note," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 701-710, November.
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    17. Lefteris Tsoulfidis, 2008. "Price-value deviations: further evidence from input-output data of Japan," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(6), pages 707-724.
    18. Theodore Mariolis & Lefteris Tsoulfidis, 2009. "Decomposing the Changes in Production Prices into "Capital-Intensity" and "Price" Effects: Theory and Evidence from the Chinese Economy ," Contributions to Political Economy, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(1), pages 1-22.
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    Cited by:

    1. Theodore Mariolis & Lefteris Tsoulfidis, 2016. "Capital theory ‘paradoxes’ and paradoxical results: resolved or continued?," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 297-322, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Average period of production; Böhm-Bawerk’s theory of capital; Empirical labour theory of value; Sraffian theory; B25; B51; C67; D46; D57;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B25 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Austrian; Stockholm School
    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • C67 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Input-Output Models
    • D46 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Value Theory
    • D57 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Input-Output Tables and Analysis

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