Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/55204 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 654
Publisher: 
Queen Mary University of London, Department of Economics, London
Abstract: 
This paper critically analyses the strongly subjectivist approach to exploitation theory recently proposed by Matsuo ([7]), in the context of general convex economies with heterogeneous agents. It is proved that the Fundamental Marxian Theorem is not preserved in his subjectivist approach, contrary to Matsuo's claims, and that no meaningful subjectivist exploitation index can be constructed. It is argued that a minimal objectivism is necessary in exploitation theory, whereby subjective preferences do not play a direct, definitional role. An alternative objectivist approach is briefly analysed, which is related to the 'New Interpretation' ([1]; [3]). It is argued that it captures the core intuitions of exploitation theory and it provides appropriate indices of individual and aggregate exploitation. Further, it is shown that it preserves the FMT in general economies.
Subjects: 
exploitation
subjective preferences
Fundamental Marxian Theorem
general convex cone economies
JEL: 
D31
D46
D63
E11
B51
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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