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Towards a Political Economy of the Hunters and Gatherers: A Study in Historical Materialism

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  • Hagendorf, Klaus

Abstract

This paper uses the mode of production of the hunter-gatherers as a background to explain basic economic concepts, in particular the meaning of the labour theory of value and it's relationship to optimization of resources. A proof of the marginal value theorem is presented. A new term is introduced to designate labour surplus value, roundabout labour. The analytical expression for socially necessary labour is derived and Adam Smith's paradox between labour value and the adding-up theorem of wages, rent and profit, is resolved. It is shown that far from being limited to the ancient form of society of the hunter-gatherers the labour theory of value holds also in modern times.

Suggested Citation

  • Hagendorf, Klaus, 2009. "Towards a Political Economy of the Hunters and Gatherers: A Study in Historical Materialism," MPRA Paper 17339, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Sep 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:17339
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Samuelson, Paul, 2012. "Understanding the Marxian Notion of Exploitation: A Summary of the So-CalledTransformation Problem Between Marxian Values and Competitive Prices," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, pages 182-202, August.
    2. Dobb,Maurice, 1975. "Theories of Value and Distribution since Adam Smith," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521099363.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    historical materialism; labour theory of value; Marxian economics; roundabout labour; Adam Smith; surplus labour; hunter-gatherer society; marginal value theorem; evolutionary ecology; modes of production; productive forces;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D46 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Value Theory
    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • B14 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Socialist; Marxist
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
    • D20 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - General
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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