History and criticism of the labor theory of value in English political economyWhitaker, Albert C. (Albert Conser)
History
History and criticism of the labor theory of value in English political economy
Whitaker, Albert C. (Albert Conser)
Economics -- Great Britain -- History; Labor theory of value -- Great Britain -- History
Professor Clark has in some place defined subjective value as the
“measure of effective utility.” Menger defined this kind of value as
the significance attained by a good in our estimation when we know that
some satisfaction of ours is conditioned upon command of this particular
good. Value, as an amount, is the measure of the quantity of satisfaction
conditioned. The present writer has already expressed his opinion[240]
that Menger’s mere definition of value gives the solution to the great
riddle of the relation of value to usefulness and satisfaction, and
that virtually from the mere proposition contained in this definition
a large part of the theory of value can be deduced directly. It is of
great interest to note, therefore, that Professor Clark’s definition
of subjective value is in entire harmony with Menger’s. The definition
of Menger explains value universally, wherever there is value. Clark’s
definition, though conceived quite independently by him, is but an
extension of the principle in Menger’s definition, but an application
of it to a certain special case. This case, though logically a special
instance, is however typical of most of the goods we imagine a Crusoe
to be producing, consuming and reproducing. This is the case of freely
reproducible goods. Here, if a good be destroyed, its value will be
revealed by the satisfaction that must be given up because of its
destruction, which is the satisfaction finally conditioned upon it. In
the end, what Professor Clark points out is merely that this good may
be replaced by diverting to its making labor which otherwise would have
been employed in producing some other good which Crusoe chooses to resign
instead. The satisfaction in effect, or in the end, conditioned by good
A is the satisfaction directly conditioned by or afforded by good B, the
good given up.[241]
As it appears to the present writer, Clark’s theory of esteem value is
to this point so well founded that even the most uncompromising opponent
of labor theories can find no ground to deny it. We have here explained
a labor measure of esteem value, perfectly justified at least under the
conditions of the isolated economy, and Professor Clark’s analysis has
disclosed the inner reasons why this measure can be employed. Indeed,
while speaking of reproducible goods in the Crusoe economy, it may be
affirmed that cost is not only a “measure” of esteem value, but is also a
joint _regulator_ of value. To be precise, the costliness of a good acts
jointly with the utility of the good in regulating its value. To say that
one thing regulates another is, of course, asserting more than that it
measures that other. A regulator is a measuring cause, whereas a mere
measure is not a cause of the thing estimated.[242]
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