Labor Value and Distribution: A New Perspective

Author: Institute of Labor and Wages
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: This research report primarily studies the issues of labor, value, wealth creation, and distribution, focusing on "theory and its application." Currently, the practice of reforming the distribution system has given rise to a series of new theoretical and conceptual questions that require our research to provide answers. In summary, the question is: What is the theory of income distribution under the conditions of a socialist market economy? To clarify this issue, it is necessary to deepen the understanding of the theory of labor and labor value, seek new historical conditions for the basis of income distribution from the depths of labor, value, and wealth creation, and propose new theories of income distribution in practice to guide today's reform efforts. Compared to the era of the founders of Marxism, the current era has seen significant changes in socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects, which have had direct or indirect major impacts on labor, value, and wealth creation.
From an international perspective, social productivity has undergone new major developments, with significant changes in production methods, corporate organizational systems, labor management systems, and deep transformations in economic structures as industrial society transitions to an information society. Domestically, China is in the primary stage of socialism, which differs greatly from the socialism envisioned by the founders of Marxism. Developing productivity is the fundamental task of this stage. Since the reform and opening-up, China's national economy has achieved remarkable accomplishments globally, and the socialist market economy system has been preliminarily established. China's distribution system and principles have been further improved and refined. Especially under the new historical conditions, labor, value, and wealth creation have undergone new changes.
Regarding labor, there are five key developments:
1. The degree of automation of labor tools is increasing rapidly, and they are becoming more intelligent.
2. The depth and breadth of labor objects are being developed, with new and micro-level approaches.
3. The quality of labor force is improving.
4. Labor methods are evolving, with laborers and labor objects gradually separating, and overall labor becoming the primary determinant of final output.
5. The variety of labor outcomes is growing, with faster updates and higher technological content.
Regarding value and wealth creation, there are four key developments:
1. Technological progress has significantly increased labor productivity, with science and technology and scientific labor playing a productive role, and the proportion of general operational labor in social products declining.
2. Correct business decisions and scientific management have greatly improved the efficiency and output of overall labor, accelerating wealth growth.
3. The content of social production factors has increased, and the role of each factor in creating value and wealth has changed.
4. The proportion of the tertiary industry's output value has grown, and non-material production sectors have become the primary creators of value and wealth.
Therefore, we must combine the new realities to deepen our research and understanding of the issues of labor and labor value theory in socialist society, and thereby achieve innovation in the distribution theory and system under the conditions of a socialist market economy.