laboriteorian

Laboriteorian is a theoretical framework that centers labor as the primary source of economic value and as a key determinant of social organization. It draws on classical labor theory of value while integrating contemporary analyses of automation, care work, and financialization to explain how value and power are created, measured, and distributed.

The term is used in academic and policy discussions to describe a family of perspectives that emphasize not only productive work but also unpaid and informal labor in households and communities.

Core propositions include that value is produced through social labor, including coordination, maintenance, and care, not only through measurable production; that surplus value accrues to owners or managers when labor power is alienated or undercompensated; and that class structure and political power are shaped by the organization of labor relations, including scheduling, governance, and social reproduction.

Technology and policy: Automation and digital platforms reconfigure labor processes, but labor's social contribution remains central. Proponents advocate strengthened collective bargaining, worker co-ownership, and policies that recognize unpaid labor in national accounts. Methodologically, laboriteorians use historical materialism, time-use analysis, and gendered labor studies to map production and reproduction.

Relation to other theories and critiques: It is related to Marxian economics, feminist economics, and social reproduction theory; it intersects with critiques of wealth inequality and labor market segmentation. Critics argue the framework can be normative or vague and may understate investment, entrepreneurship, or technological risk. See also: labor theory of value, critical political economy, universal basic income, automation and labor.