Marx, Rubin and the Soviet Debate on Abstract Labor
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36592/opiniaofilosofica.2026.v17.1293Keywords:
Value theory, abstract labor, Critique of Political Economy, Karl Marx, Isaak RubinAbstract
The article seeks to present the interpretation of Karl Marx’s theory developed by the Soviet economist Isaak Rubin during the 1920s. Particularly interesting for our analysis is the debate carried out between Rubin and Isaak Dashkovsky regarding the theory of value and specifically the concept of abstract labor. The debate between the authors is expressed in issues of the Soviet journal Under the Banner of Marxism [Pod Znamenem Marksizma] and in the third and fourth editions of Rubin’s Essays on Marx’s Theory of Value. We will highlight how the debate with Dashkovsky led Rubin to refine his concepts, particularly his interpretation of abstract labor. Thus, the article seeks to recover the richness of the interpretations of these two Soviet economists concerning Marx’s theory of value. The debate also allows us to reflect on the nature of an economy in transition to socialism, fostering reflection on the potentialities and political consequences of Marx’s theory of value.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Rafael de Almeida Padial, Dr. Ricardo Pereira de Melo (Autor)
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