IMF Extends Sri Lanka’s Fund Facility 0 668

In the book titled ‘Marx’s ‘Theory of price and its Modern Rivals’, Sri Lankan born and educated Prof. Howard Nicholas exposes the flaws in the many theoretical debates in money, price and inflation. This he does by revealing the inconsistencies and contradictions in economic theories submitted to explain price. This is nothing new in Sri Lanka and many developed countries attributable to the fact the certain economists, due to a false understanding, are misled on what price is all about. Therefore, let us examine this false interpretation and try to understand the real parts that from PRICE which we play in commerce.

According to Prof. Nicholas, Orthodox economists starting with David Ricardo have not quite understood the concept of ‘price’ and how it is computed. He argues that the explanation of price by Marx, who had a deep understanding of the capitalist system, is more logical and clear. To understand Price we have to first understand how commodities bearing a price tag are produced and marketed. Prof. Nicholas who refers to this process as the- Production Cycle’ explains that present day economists go astray since at the outset they focus only on the process of exchange, assuming individuals are naturally endowed with commodities. This mistake causes them to ignore cost of production and focus on individuals and their choices when explaining prices.

A second important point made by Prof. Nicholas in his book is that when explaining price, from the outset we need to bring money into the picture. This is, to explain prices as money- prices. When products calculate the values of their commodities, they do so in terms of money thereby setting money prices. Buyers of goods in markets make payment in accordance with these money- prices. According to economic orthodoxy, the prices that matters are relative prices. That is, the price of one product in terms of another and not in terms of money. In fact, although this may not be so apparent when reading standard economics text books, money has no role to play in the basic explanation of prices. It only makes its appearance when macro-economic phenomena, in particular the aggregate level of prices are considered.

The third major argument prof. Nicholas advances is that the basis for explanation of cost of production of the commodity as its money cost of production, needs to be seen as the labour time spent in production. This is what Marx referred to as the value of commodity. Labour time spent in production amounts to money costs, when money represents labour time by itself. This happens when money is used by producers, to depict the value of the product. The importance of explaining prices is perhaps best been by producers, to depict the value of the product. The importance of explaining prices is perhaps best seen by the present downward pressure on global prices, resulting from the massive technological change across the globe. Despite unprecedented levels of printing of currency by Central Bank of major countries, world inflation rate has continued to fall down. This underlines the importance of labour productivity in explaining price, and the incorrect explanation of money and price by economists. It may also be the clearest practical support for Marx’s price theory as seen by Prf. Nicholas

By : Dr Kenneth De Zilwa

President Trump offered to meet North Korean leader Kin Jong Un at the demilitarised zone following the G 20 Summit raised prospects for a third face to face meeting between the two leaders.

G -20 Osaka Summit 

14th G-20 Summit – a forum of 19 member countries and European Union was held in Osaka, Japan 28 -29 June 2019 with the participation of heads of G 20 Governments. International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Labour Organization (ILO), Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD), United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB), World Health Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), represented in the summit by their respective heads of Institutions. 

Collectively G 20 nations represent more than 80 percent of global output and 2/3 of its people. Easing the global tension centred around US – China trade dispute, President Trump announced that he has agreed to allow US companies to sell high tech components to Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei. He also announced that China will buy more US farm goods. US President indicated that US will call off raising tariff on Chinese goods and negotiations to end the trade dispute between two countries will continue.

Prime Minister Abe who hosted the G 20 Summit explained that global leaders have affirmed free and fair and inclusive economy and open competition are the principals to lead the world economy in future.

As estimated by IMF total GDP of G20 nations of nearly USD 60 trillion account for 78 percent of the world total GDP of USD 88 trillion. In terms of population, G20 nations is estimated to have 4.6 billion people in 2019 accounting for 61 percent of the world total population of 7.5 billion. China takes the lead with 31 percent and India accounts for 29 percent making two emerging nations in Asia having 60 percent of the population of G20 nation.

By: BiZnomics research team

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