In a pathbreaking critique of mainstream economics, Henryk Grossman emphasised the importance of Marx's distinction between use value and value and the related weaknesses in both classical political political economy and its vulgar successors, including neo-classical economics (generally known today as 'economics'). This paper will place Grossman's essay into its historical context, provide a summary of its argument and go into a little more detail about its treatment of use value. My new translation of the essay will be available as an appendix to the paper. Send requests for copies to Rick.Kuhn@anu.edu.au.

Bio:

Dr Rick Kuhn is an adjunct reader in the ANU's School of Sociology. His biography Henryk Grossman and the recovery of Marxism won the Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Prize in 2007, ‘for a book which exemplifies the best and most innovative new writing in or about the Marxist tradition’. He was the editor of Class and struggle in Australia (2005) and, with Tom Bramble, he wrote Labor's conflict: big business, workers and the politics of class (2010). For more information see http://sociology.cass.anu.edu.au/people/dr-rick-kuhn