Just stumbled across this. It is an excellent overview of the law of value in the work of Karl Marx.
I am definitely no leftie. But I find Marx's work in this area to be really interesting. And it will get you looking at simple questions relation to price, profit and value in a way which is novel and new. For instance - exactly why does a car always cost more than a toothbrush? And no - the answer isn't due to supply and demand.
Also - the YouTube videos are creatively put together (in an Adam Curtis type of fast-cutting way using archived footage). So - you will not find a more interesting approach to this topic.
I recommend starting the series with the second episode (linked to below). Since the earlier episodes are slightly shitty introductions which are really annoying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MbUx-il...99C91FC6F7
Anyway - I have only being studying Marx for the past 6 months. So - I still feel like I am drowning in terms of trying to understand all the new concepts.
It is a hell of a journey. And I cannot really debate these issues yet - since I am still awhile a way from being able to say if Marx was a genius or a crank.
Either way - I have yet to see an economist question the fundamental assumptions which underpin economics and our free-market system in such a detailed manner.
For me. I find the debates over such fundamental questions more interesting than any dreams about creating a future Utopia.
Anyway - just wanted to pass along the link. Since it is rare to see such a dry subject covered in such a creative and interesting way. And I want to support such efforts...
I am definitely no leftie. But I find Marx's work in this area to be really interesting. And it will get you looking at simple questions relation to price, profit and value in a way which is novel and new. For instance - exactly why does a car always cost more than a toothbrush? And no - the answer isn't due to supply and demand.
Also - the YouTube videos are creatively put together (in an Adam Curtis type of fast-cutting way using archived footage). So - you will not find a more interesting approach to this topic.
I recommend starting the series with the second episode (linked to below). Since the earlier episodes are slightly shitty introductions which are really annoying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MbUx-il...99C91FC6F7
Anyway - I have only being studying Marx for the past 6 months. So - I still feel like I am drowning in terms of trying to understand all the new concepts.
It is a hell of a journey. And I cannot really debate these issues yet - since I am still awhile a way from being able to say if Marx was a genius or a crank.
Either way - I have yet to see an economist question the fundamental assumptions which underpin economics and our free-market system in such a detailed manner.
For me. I find the debates over such fundamental questions more interesting than any dreams about creating a future Utopia.
Anyway - just wanted to pass along the link. Since it is rare to see such a dry subject covered in such a creative and interesting way. And I want to support such efforts...