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A New Solution to the Marxian Transformation Problem: How Can Total Value Equal Total Production Price and Total Surplus Value Equal Total Profit be Established at the Same Time

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  • Song, Xianwei

    (Shandong University of Finance and Economics)

Abstract

In Capital, on the assumption that the values of the means of production are not transformed, Marx proves that total value equals total production price, and total surplus value equals total profit. Later, when many Marxist economists relax this assumption, they find that the two aggregate equalities no longer hold simultaneously. For more than a century, this has been one of the main problems plaguing Marxian economists. This paper shows that the reason for the problem is that the calculation ranges of the two aggregate equalities are inconsistent, that is, the calculation of total surplus value and total profit does not include all the surplus value and profit in the total value and total price. Assuming that the total exploitation rate is constant before and after the transformation, the two aggregate equalities must be valid at the same time if the calculation ranges are consistent.

Suggested Citation

  • Song, Xianwei, 2026. "A New Solution to the Marxian Transformation Problem: How Can Total Value Equal Total Production Price and Total Surplus Value Equal Total Profit be Established at the Same Time," SocArXiv 9fmau_v1, Center for Open Science.
  • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:9fmau_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/9fmau_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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. 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.
    3. Duncan K. Foley, 2000. "Recent Developments in the Labor Theory of Value," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 32(1), pages 1-39, March.
    4. Freeman, Alan & Kliman, Andrew, 2008. "Simultaneous Valuation vs. the Exploitation Theory of Profit: A summing up," MPRA Paper 6891, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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