Value

'Value' seems like an elusive and abstract concept. Nonetheless, a notion of value underpins much of how we all understand our lives, from politicians talking about whether public spending represents 'value for money' to the instinctive daily calculations we make about whether our everyday purchases are 'worth it'. So what is value, and where does it come from? In this new book, Frederick Harry Pitts charts the past, present and future of value within and beyond capitalist society, critically engaging with key concepts from classical and neoclassical political economy. Interrogating the processes and practices that attribute value to objects and activities, he considers debates over whether value lies within commodities or in their exchange, the politics of different theories of value, and whether we can measure value in a knowledge-based economy. This accessible and intriguing introduction to the complexities of value in modern society will be essential reading for any student or scholar working in political economy, economics, economic sociology, or management.