,REVIEW3 ,!ORIES ( ,VALUE & ,DI/RIBUTION ,S9CE ,ADAM ,SMI? BY ,MAURICE ,DOBB 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,PAUL ,MATTICK 

,TEXT 3 

,PUBLI%$3 ,SCI5CE @& ,SOCIETY1 VOL4 #c#h1 NO4 #b4 #a#i#g#d4 ,PP #b#b-#b#b#c4 
,TRANSCRIPTION_/,M>KUP3 ,MICAH ,MU]1 #b#a#h4 

,!ORIES ( ,VALUE & ,DI/RIBUTION ,S9CE ,ADAM ,SMI?3 
,IDEOLOGY & ,ECONOMIC ,!ORY1 BY ,MAURICE ,DOBB4 ,CAMBRIDGE 
,UNIV]SITY ,PRESS3 ,NEW ,YORK1 #a#i#g#c4 @s#a#b4#e4 ,PP4 #b#i#e4 

,ACCORD+ TO ,M>X1 ! VULG>IZATION ( CLASSICAL B\RGEOIS ECONOMY 
WAS UNAVOIDABLE4 ,9 ,FRANCE & 9 ,5GL&1 HE WROTE 9 ! PREFACE TO 
,CAPITAL3 

,! B\RGEOISIE HAD CONQU]$ POLITICAL P[]4 
,!NCE=?1 ! CLASS-/RUGGLE1 PRACTICALLY AS WELL AS !ORETICALLY1 
TOOK ON MORE & MORE \TSPOK5 & ?REAT5+ =MS4 ,IT S\ND$ ! 
KNELL ( SCI5TIFIC B\RGEOIS ECONOMY4 ,IT WAS !NCE=? NO LONG] A 
QUE/ION1 :E!R ?IS !OREM OR ?AT WAS TRUE1 BUT :E!R IT WAS 
USEFUL TO CAPITAL OR H>MFUL1 EXP$I5T OR 9EXP$I5T1 POLITICALLY 
DANG]\S OR NOT4 ,9 PLACE ( DIS9T]E/$ 5QUIR]S1 !RE W]E HIR$ 
PRIZE-FI<T]S2 9 PLACE ( G5U9E SCI5TIFIC RESE>*1 ! BAD 
CONSCI5CE & ! EVIL 9T5T ( APOLOGETIC4 

,A HUNDR$ YE>S LAT]1 9 CONTRA/ TO ,M>X1 SOME MOD]N ,M>XI/S HAVE 
DISCOV]$ ?AT !RE IS MORE TO B\RGEOIS ECONOMY ?AN JU/ APOLOGIA4 
,BESIDES P]=M+ ?IS FUNCTION1 IT ALSO OCCUPIES ITSELF ) REALI/IC 
POLITICAL-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS1 :I* MAY HAVE SOME MEAN+ = ! 
OPPON5T ( CAPITALISM4 ,IT IS NOT 5\< TO SPEAK M]ELY ( ! 
VULG>ITY ( B\RGEOIS ECONOMY2 IT IS NECESS>Y TO DI/+UI% BETWE5 
ITS IDEOLOGICAL & ITS PRACTICAL FUNCTIONS4 

,MAURICE ,DOBB CONC]NS HIMSELF ) ?IS QUE/ION ( IDEOLOGY & 
ECONOMIC !ORY1 FROM ! TIME ( ,ADAM ,SMI? TO ! PRES5T4 ,HIS BOOK IS 
ESS5TIALLY A HI/ORY ( ECONOMIC ?\<T & AS SU*--BECAUSE ( ITS 
CONT9UITY & KN[L$GEABILITY--HAS SPECIAL USEFULNESS1 DESPITE ! 
GREAT ABUNDANCE ( ECONOMIC HI/ORIES4 ,H[EV]1 ,DOBB SEEMS 9CL9$ TO 
GIVE ! DEVIL MORE ?AN HIS DUE1 !REBY REFLECT+ HIS V]SATILITY AS 
WELL AS HIS CLOSE CONNECTION ) ACADEMIC B\RGEOIS ECONOMICS4 ,HE 
SPEAKS ) ! VOICE ( ! ECONOMI/1 NOT ?AT ( ! REVOLUTION>Y1 
EV5 ?\< HE APPROA*ES B\RGEOIS !ORY FROM A ,M>XIAN PO9T ( VIEW4 
,HE SEES CLE>LY ?AT !RE CANNOT BE A 0NEUTRAL0 ECONOMIC SCI5CE & 
?AT ATTEMPTS 9 ?IS DIRECTION M]ELY DEPRIVE !ORY ( ANY RELEVANCE 
TO ! ACTUAL ECONOMIC PROCESSES4 ,/ILL1 ) O!R ,M>XI/S1 HE ASSUMES 
?AT !RE 0>E G5]AL /ATEM5TS1 EV5 'LAWS1' ?AT APPLY TO ALL MODES 
( PRODUCTION10 SO ?AT SOME ANALYTICAL ME?ODS EVOLV$ BY B\RGEOIS 
ECONOMICS MAY ALSO BE VALID = O!R SOCIAL SY/EMS4 ,9 ?IS 
CONNECTION1 HE DEEMS IT NECESS>Y TO DIFF]5TIATE BETWE5 ANALYTICAL 
ECONOMIC TOOLS & ! IDEOLOGICAL CONT5T ( B\RGEOIS ECONOMICS4 

,US+ ! EXAMPLES ( ,SMI?1 ,RIC>DO1 & ,MILL1 ,DOBB DEMON/RATES ! 
HI/ORICAL CONDITION+ ( ECONOMIC !ORY & ! IMPOSSIBILITY ( 
TURN+ IT 9TO A 0PURE0 SCI5CE4 ,BE+ ESS5TIALLY AN APPLI$ SCI5CE1 
IT CANNOT D5Y ITS NORMATIVE ELEM5TS4 ,AL?\< IT HAS ALWAYS BE5 
DIFFICULT TO SEP>ATE ! 0POSITIVE0 FROM ! 0NORMATIVE10 ATTEMPTS 9 
?IS DIRECTION HAVE BE5 MADE NONE!LESS BY MEANS ( HI<LY =MALIZ$ 
TE*NIQUES ( ANALYSIS4 ,DOBB %[S1 H[EV]1 ?AT APP>5TLY 0NEUTRAL0 
TE*NIQUES AFFECT ECONOMIC 9T]PRETATIONS & !IR EMPIRICAL 
IMPLICATIONS 9 AN IDEOLOGICAL DIRECTION4 ,! 9TRODUCTION ( ANALYTICAL 
ME?ODS & ! MA!MATIZATION ( ECONOMICS W]E1 ( C\RSE1 
9/RUM5TALITIES ( B\RGEOIS IDEOLOGY AS ECONOMIC !ORY1 NOT M]E 
ME?ODS ( 9VE/IGATION & ACC\NTANCY1 SU* AS MAY BE F\ND USEFUL 9 
ANY ECONOMIC SY/EM4 

,DOBB %[S ?AT ! IMPOV]I%M5T ( B\RGEOIS ECONOMICS ?R\< ITS 
9CREAS+ =MALIZATION1 VIA ! RISE ( M>G9AL UTILITY & G5]AL 
EQUILIBRIUM !ORY1 L$ UNAVOIDABLY TO A CRISIS ( ECONOMIC !ORY1 
REV]B]AT+ ?R\< :AT HE CALLS 0A DECADE ( HI< CRITICISM40 ,! 
CURR5T QUE/ION+ ( ALL ! ASSUMPTIONS ( NEOCLASSICAL !ORY IS 
ACCOMPANI$ BY A P>TIAL RETURN TO ITS />T+ PO9T1 ?AT IS1 TO 
OBJECTIVE VALUE !ORY & ! ,RIC>DIAN !ORY ( DI/RIBUTION4 ,!RE 
IS 9CREAS+ RECOGNITION ?AT ! ELIM9ATION ( ! DI/RIBUTION 
PROBLEM ?R\< ! R$UCTION ( ECONOMIC !ORY TO ! EX*ANGE PROCESS 
& A G5]AL SY/EM ( PRICE RELATIONS RESULT$ 9 ! LOSS ( ITS 
PLAUSIBILITY & !RE) ITS IDEOLOGICAL FUNCTION4 

,DOBB SEES 9 ! RETURN FROM ECONOMICS TO POLITICAL ECONOMY A K9D ( 
PROGRESS )9 ! FIELD ( B\RGEOIS ECONOMIC !ORY4 ,?IS RETURN1 
ALREADY =E%AD[$ 9 ANO!R =M 9 ! SO-CALL$ ,KEYNESIAN 
REVOLUTION1 IS1 H[EV]1 ALSO A RETURN TO ,M>X'S PO9T ( DEP>TURE FROM 
CLASSICAL ECONOMY4 ,AL?\< HE KN[S HIM TO BE A CRITIC ( ,RIC>DO1 ,M>X 
REMA9S = ,DOBB A CLASSICAL ECONOMI/1 :O M]ELY ADD$ TO HIS ANALYSIS 
( CAPITALISM A G5]AL CONCEPT ( HI/ORICAL DEVELOPM5T4 ,ACTUALLY1 
POLITICAL ECONOMY WAS = ,M>X ! FALSE CONSCI\SNESS1 OR IDEOLOGY1 ( 
! CAPITALI/ MODE ( PRODUCTION1 HID+ ITS UND]LY+ EXPLOITATIVE 
CLASS RELATIONS4 ,! ECONOMIC CATEGORIES ( CLASSICAL ECONOMY1 9CLUD+ 
! LABOR !ORY ( VALUE1 W]E = ,M>X FETI%I/IC CATEGORIES1 B\ND 
UP ) ! SPECIFIC RELATIONS ( CAPITALI/ PRODUCTION & VALID ONLY 
= !SE RELATIONS4 ,HE RECOGNIZ$ ?AT ! DE/RUCTION ( B\RGEOIS 
ECONOMIC !ORY PRESUPPOSES ! DE/RUCTION ( CAPITALI/ SOCIETY 
ITSELF4 

,UNTIL ,M>X1 IT WAS DEEM$ SUFFICI5T TO /UDY CAPITALI/ DEVELOPM5T 
ON ! BASIS ( ITS CONTRADICTORY FETI%I/IC DET]M9ATION1 )\T 
SEEK+ TO DET]M9E ! SY/EM'S FUNDAM5TAL LAWS ( PRODUCTION & 
DI/RIBUTION4 ,ONLY BY SEE+ 9 CAPITALISM ! 0NATURAL0 & ONLY 
POSSIBLE MODE ( PRODUCTION--?AT IS1 ON ! BASIS ( IDEOLOGY--W]E ! 
CLASSICI/S ABLE TO ATTA9 A DEGREE ( OBJECTIVITY REG>D+ ! 
ECONOMY4 ,IT WAS ?IS :I* 5ABL$ ,M>X TO DE/ROY B\RGEOIS ECONOMIC 
!ORY BY A ?OR\<-GO+ CRITIQUE ( ! CLASSICAL ECONOMI/S4 ,TO 
RETURN AT ?IS LATE DATE TO CLASSICAL !ORY1 ?AT IS1 TO ACCEPT ! 
EXPLOITATION ( LABOR BY CAPITAL1 TO DRAW ATT5TION TO ! CONSEQU5T 
=MS ( DI/RIBUTION1 & !RE) TO ! IRRELEVANCE ( MOD]N PRICE 
!ORY & 0POSITIVE0 ECONOMICS1 MAY BE REG>D$ AS A SIGN ( ! TIMES1 
BUT IT IS NOT A /EP BEYOND B\RGEOIS ECONOMIC !ORY4 ,ANO!R /EP IS 
NECESS>Y1 NAMELY1 ! /EP ,M>X MADE BY HIS CRITICISM ( POLITICAL 
ECONOMY4 

,?IS IS NOT TO SAY ?AT ONE %\LD NOT PAY ATT5TION TO ! EVOLUTION 
( ECONOMIC !ORY1 REFLECT+ AS IT DOES ! *ANG+ SITUATION ( 
CAPITALISM ITSELF4 ,BUT ?IS ATT5TION MU/ REMA9 CRITICAL1 MU/ BE 
BAS$ ON A TOTAL REJECTION ( ALL CAPITALI/ ECONOMIC !ORY1 :I*1 
DESPITE V>I\S MODIFICATIONS1 CAN ONLY S]VE CAPITALISM4 ,! PA/ 
0DECADE ( HI< CRITICISM10 SO ELOQU5TLY DESCRIB$ BY ,DOBB1 REMA9$ 
)9 ! CONF9ES ( B\RGEOIS !ORY2 ?US IT C\LD LEAD ONLY TO AN 
IDEOLOGICALLY MORE ADEQUATE !ORY ( CAPITALI/ PRODUCTION ?AN ?AT 
PROVID$ BY ! N[ BANKRUPT NEOCLASSICAL !ORY4 ,ATTEMPTS >E 
CONT9UALLY BE+ MADE1 ON AN 9T]NATIONAL SCALE1 TO F9D A 
RECONCILIATION ( 0,M>XISM0 & B\RGEOIS ECONOMIC !ORY4 ,IT IS NOT 
TOTALLY EXCLUD$ ?AT 0,M>XISM0 WILL BECOME ! LA/ REFUGE ( B\RGEOIS 
!ORY1 & ! RETURN TO ! CLASSICAL ECONOMI/S WILL BE A /ATION ON 
! WAY TO ?IS GOAL4 

,AP>T FROM !SE CONSID]ATIONS1 & NOT)/&+ ,DOBB'S 
SYMPA!TIC ATTITUDE T[>D ! :OLE BODY ( B\RGEOIS ECONOMIC !ORY1 
HIS BOOK WILL PROVE AN ASSET = ANY /UD5T ( POLITICAL ECONOMY4 ,IT 
CLE>LY BR+S \T ! ESS5TIAL DIFF]5CES BETWE5 ! V>I\S 
PROPON5TS ( ! OBJECTIVE !ORY ( VALUE2 !IR UNIT$ OPPOSITION TO 
?OSE1 :O1 S9CE ! 0,JEVONSIAN ,REVOLUTION10 SUBSCRIB$ TO A SUBJECTIVE 
VALUE !ORY2 ! ADV5TURES ( ! LATT] )9 ! NEOCLASSICAL 
DOCTR9E2 & ! TRANS=MATION ( ECONOMIC !ORY 9TO A M]E 
TE*NIQUE ( 0ADAPT+ SC>CE MEANS TO GIV5 5DS40 ,IT BR+S TO ! 
=E ALL ! PROBLEMS :I* PRES5TLY AGITATE ! ACADEMIC WORLD & 
%[S !IR RELATION TO ?OSE ?AT PREOCCUPI$ !IR PR$ECESSORS4 

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,M>* #c1 #bba 3 ,REVIEW3 ,!ORIES ( ,VALUE & ,DI/RIBUTION ,S9CE ,ADAM ,SMI? BY ,MAURICE ,DOBB -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bbb 3 ,REVIEW3 ,!ORIES ( ,VALUE & ,DI/RIBUTION ,S9CE ,ADAM ,SMI? BY ,MAURICE ,DOBB -- ,UPDAT$4 

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