IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hit/hituec/579.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Exploitation in Economies with Heterogeneous Preferences, Skills and Assets: An Axiomatic Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Veneziani, Roberto
  • Yoshihara, Naoki
  • 吉原, 直毅

Abstract

This paper provides a novel axiomatic analysis of the notion of exploitation as the unequal exchange of labour in economies with heterogeneous optimising agents endowed with unequal amounts of physical and human capital. A new definition of exploitation is proposed, which emphasises the relational nature of exploitation and the resulting inequalities in the allocation of labour and income. It is shown that, among all of the major approaches, this definition is the only one satisfying two weak axioms that incorporate some key normative intuitions, and it allows one to generalise a number of core insights of exploitation theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki & 吉原, 直毅, 2012. "Exploitation in Economies with Heterogeneous Preferences, Skills and Assets: An Axiomatic Approach," Discussion Paper Series 579, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:hituec:579
    Note: 41136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Flaschel, 2010. "Topics in Classical Micro- and Macroeconomics," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-642-00324-0, June.
    2. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2011. "Strong Subjectivism In The Marxian Theory Of Exploitation: A Critique," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 53-68, February.
    3. Gérard Duménil & Duncan Foley & Dominique Lévy, 2009. "A Note On The Formal Treatment Of Exploitation In A Model With Heterogenous Labor," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 560-567, July.
    4. Foley, Duncan K., 1982. "Realization and accumulation in a Marxian model of the circuit of capital," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 300-319, December.
    5. Roberto Veneziani, 2013. "Exploitation, inequality and power," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 25(4), pages 526-545, October.
    6. Hervé Moulin, 1990. "Joint Ownership of a Convex Technology: Comparison of Three Solutions," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 57(3), pages 439-452.
    7. Marc Fleurbaey, 2014. "The facets of exploitation," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 26(4), pages 653-676, October.
    8. Morishima, Michio, 1974. "Marx in the Light of Modern Economic Theory," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 42(4), pages 611-632, July.
    9. Yoshihara, Naoki, 2010. "Class and exploitation in general convex cone economies," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 281-296, August.
    10. Flaschel, Peter, 1983. "Actual Labor Values in a General Model of Production," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(2), pages 435-454, March.
    11. Yoshihara, Naoki & 吉原, 直毅 & ヨシハラ, ナオキ & Veneziani, Roberto, 2009. "Exploitation as the Unequal Exchange of Labour : An Axiomatic Approach," Discussion Paper Series a524, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    12. Veneziani, Roberto, 2007. "Exploitation and time," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 132(1), pages 189-207, January.
    13. Naoki Yoshihara & Roberto Veneziani, 2009. "Exploitation as the Unequal Exchange of Labour: An Axiomatic Approach," Working Papers 655, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    14. John E. Roemer, 2015. "On the problem of socialist economic design," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 27(1), pages 34-42, January.
    15. Sen, Amartya K, 1978. "On the Labour Theory of Value: Some Methodological Issues," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 2(2), pages 175-190, June.
    16. Takao Fujimoto & Yukihiko Fujita, 2008. "A Refutation Of The Commodity Exploitation Theorem," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 530-540, July.
    17. Roemer John E. & Silvestre Joaquim, 1993. "The Proportional Solution for Economies with Both Private and Public Ownership," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 426-444, April.
    18. Roemer, John E, 1980. "A General Equilibrium Approach to Marxian Economics," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(2), pages 505-530, March.
    19. John E. Roemer & Roberto Veneziani, 2004. "What We Owe Our Children, They Their Children, …," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 6(5), pages 637-654, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Roberto Veneziani & Luca Zamparelli & Simon Mohun & Roberto Veneziani, 2017. "Value, Price, And Exploitation: The Logic Of The Transformation Problem," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1387-1420, December.
    2. Jonathan F Cogliano, 2023. "Marx’s equalised rate of exploitation," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 47(1), pages 133-169.
    3. Naoki Yoshihara & Roberto Veneziani, 2013. "The Measurement of Labour Content: A General Approach," Working Papers 704, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    4. Jonathan F. Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2016. "The Dynamics of Exploitation and Class in Accumulation Economies," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 242-290, May.
    5. Yoshihara, Naoki & Veneziani, Roberto, 2018. "The Theory Of Exploitation As The Unequal Exchange Of Labour," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 34(3), pages 381-409, November.
    6. Galanis, Giorgos & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2018. "The Dynamics of Exploitation and Inequality in Economies with Heterogeneous Agents," Discussion Paper Series 679, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    7. Soh Kaneko & Naoki Yoshihara, 2018. "On the General Impossibility of Persistent Unequal Exchange Free Trade Equilibria in the Pre-industrial World Economy," Working Papers SDES-2018-19, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Dec 2018.
    8. Jonathan F. Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2019. "Exploitation, skills, and inequality," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(2), pages 208-249, April.
    9. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2015. "Unequal Exchange, Assets, and Power: Recent Developments in Exploitation Theory," Studies in Choice and Welfare, in: Constanze Binder & Giulio Codognato & Miriam Teschl & Yongsheng Xu (ed.), Individual and Collective Choice and Social Welfare, edition 127, pages 253-287, Springer.
    10. Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2014. "One Million Miles to Go: Taking the Axiomatic Road to Defining Exploitation," Discussion Paper Series 615, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    11. Jonathan F Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2024. "The dynamics of international exploitation," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 56(5), pages 1420-1446, August.
    12. Galanis, Giorgos & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2019. "The dynamics of inequalities and unequal exchange of labor in intertemporal linear economies," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 29-46.
    13. Yoshihara, Naoki & Veneziani, Roberto, 2023. "The measurement of labour content: An axiomatic approach," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 392-402.
    14. Naoki Yoshihara & Soh Kaneko, 2016. "On the Existence and Characterization of Unequal Exchange in the Free Trade Equilibrium," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 210-241, May.
    15. Cogliano, Jonathan F. & Kaneko, Soh & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2020. "International Exploitation, Capital Export, and Unequal Exchange," Discussion Paper Series 718, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    16. Jonathan F. Cogliano, 2017. "Surplus Value Production and Realization in Marxian Theory - Applications to the U.S., 1987-2015," Working Paper Series 2017-01, Dickinson College, Department of Economics.
    17. Naoki Yoshihara, 2021. "On the labor theory of value as the basis for the analysis of economic inequality in the capitalist economy," Japanese Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2-3), pages 190-212, July.
    18. CHINNOCK, Rylan & VENEZIANI, Roberto & YOSHIHARA, Naoki, 2024. "Axiomatic Marxian Exploitation Theory : a Survey of the Recent Literature," Discussion Paper Series 754, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    19. Galanis, Giorgos & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2016. "Growth, Exploitation and Class Inequalities," Discussion Paper Series 636, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    20. GIRARDI, Daniele & GRAU, Nicolas & VENEZIANI, Roberto & YOSHIHARA, Naoki, 2025. "Exploitation : Theory and Empirics," Discussion Paper Series 765, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    21. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2017. "Globalisation and inequality in a dynamic economy: an axiomatic analysis of unequal exchange," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 49(3), pages 445-468, December.
    22. Weikai Chen & Naoki Yoshihara, 2019. "Persistent Exploitation with Intertemporal Reproducible Solution in Pre-industrial Economies," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2019-10, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    23. Yoshihara, Naoki, 2022. "Correspondence between Exploitation and Profits in General Neoclassical Production Economies," Discussion Paper Series 739, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yoshihara, Naoki & Veneziani, Roberto, 2018. "The Theory Of Exploitation As The Unequal Exchange Of Labour," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 34(3), pages 381-409, November.
    2. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2010. "Exploitation and Profits: A General Axiomatic Approach in Convex Economies with Heterogeneous Agents," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2010-12, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    3. Roberto Veneziani & Luca Zamparelli & Naoki Yoshihara, 2017. "A Progress Report On Marxian Economic Theory: On The Controversies In Exploitation Theory Since Okishio (1963)," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1421-1448, December.
    4. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2015. "Unequal Exchange, Assets, and Power: Recent Developments in Exploitation Theory," Studies in Choice and Welfare, in: Constanze Binder & Giulio Codognato & Miriam Teschl & Yongsheng Xu (ed.), Individual and Collective Choice and Social Welfare, edition 127, pages 253-287, Springer.
    5. Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2014. "One million miles to go: taking the axiomatic road to defining exploitation," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2014-10, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    6. Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2017. "Globalisation and inequality in a dynamic economy: an axiomatic analysis of unequal exchange," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 49(3), pages 445-468, December.
    7. Yoshihara, Naoki & Veneziani, Roberto, 2013. "The Measurement of Labour Content: A General Approach," Discussion Paper Series 587, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    8. repec:ums:papers:2014-010 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. GIRARDI, Daniele & GRAU, Nicolas & VENEZIANI, Roberto & YOSHIHARA, Naoki, 2025. "Exploitation : Theory and Empirics," Discussion Paper Series 765, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Jonathan F. Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2019. "Exploitation, skills, and inequality," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(2), pages 208-249, April.
    11. Yoshihara, Naoki, 2014. "A Progressive Report on Marxian Economic Theory: On the Controversies in Exploitation Theory since Okishio (1963)," Discussion Paper Series 607, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    12. Naoki Yoshihara & Roberto Veneziani, 2009. "Exploitation as the Unequal Exchange of Labour: An Axiomatic Approach," Working Papers 655, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    13. Cogliano, Jonathan F. & Kaneko, Soh & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2020. "International Exploitation, Capital Export, and Unequal Exchange," Discussion Paper Series 718, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    14. Galanis, Giorgos & Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2019. "The dynamics of inequalities and unequal exchange of labor in intertemporal linear economies," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 29-46.
    15. Naoki Yoshihara & Roberto Veneziani, 2009. "Exploitation as the Unequal Exchange of Labour: An Axiomatic Approach," Working Papers 655, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    16. Naoki Yoshihara, 2021. "On the labor theory of value as the basis for the analysis of economic inequality in the capitalist economy," Japanese Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2-3), pages 190-212, July.
    17. Jonathan F. Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2016. "The Dynamics of Exploitation and Class in Accumulation Economies," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 242-290, May.
    18. Roberto Veneziani & Luca Zamparelli & Simon Mohun & Roberto Veneziani, 2017. "Value, Price, And Exploitation: The Logic Of The Transformation Problem," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1387-1420, December.
    19. Marc Fleurbaey, 2014. "The facets of exploitation," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 26(4), pages 653-676, October.
    20. Yoshihara, Naoki, 2010. "Class and exploitation in general convex cone economies," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 281-296, August.
    21. Naoki Yoshihara & Soh Kaneko, 2016. "On the Existence and Characterization of Unequal Exchange in the Free Trade Equilibrium," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 210-241, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exploitation; unequal exchange of labour; Profit Exploitation Correspondence Principle;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hit:hituec:579. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Hiromichi Miyake (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iehitjp.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.