Jenseits des Transformationsproblems. Vorläufiges Resümee einer Diskussion zum werttheoretischen Ansatz von F. Helmedag[Beyond the transformation problem. Preliminary result of a discussion about the approach of F. Helmedag in the framework of the labour theory of value]

Recently, F. Helmedag has made an attempt to revive the labour theory of value by trying to demonstrate the superiority of a theoretical model of the economy that uses values instead of prices of production in their traditional or in their modern form, that is Bortkiewicz- or Sraffa-prices. This theoretical effort has been vehemently criticised by Neoricardians. In the present article, the authors reconstruct the main points of the actual discussion by a critical analysis of the more objective arguments. These are centred on the theoretical method and the real determinants for a decision between different price-systems. Specific influence factors like the choice of technique and the methods of financing play a crucial role in the discussion of a realistic rationale for the surplus-distribution among different sectors of the economy. It turns out that neither the made attempt nor its criticism is theoretically elaborated and valid enough to decide the main question: which of the discussed theories does better fit to the empirical data?