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Profits and employment

Author

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  • Skouras, Thanos

Abstract

The volume of profits in an economy is a magnitude, which is out of sight of orthodox macroeconomic textbooks and effectively ignored by neoclassical macroeconomics. In contrast, Kalecki’s approach brings to the forefront the sources of profits and makes possible their further analysis. In a previous paper, the sources of profits and their impacts, as well as the inter-relations among them are examined one by one. The sustainability of the profits’ sources tends to have inevitable limits, which are discussed and elucidated. Given these limits, two phases in the operation of the sources may be distinguished, with a beneficial phase being transformed into a pathological one, as the limits are breached. Consequently, profits may be distinguished according to the source from which they flow, as well as the phase in which they arise. Taking into account both source and phase, a terminology is proposed to highlight the distinctive character of the different kinds of profits. The present paper briefly reviews this analysis and terminology and, based on this, goes on to consider the relationship between profits and employment. The concept of ‘wasted profits’ is first presented and developed. This is followed by an assessment of the alleged opposition between profits and employment. Finally, the employment effects that the different kinds of profits tend to bring forth, are examined and compared to each other on the basis of appropriate elasticities.

Suggested Citation

  • Skouras, Thanos, 2013. "Profits and employment," MPRA Paper 50597, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:50597
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/50597/1/MPRA_paper_50597.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Skouras, Thanos, 2013. "The sources of profits and their sustainability: A survey of basic theoretical issues," MPRA Paper 46567, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. S Jay Levy, 2001. "Profits: The Views of Jerome Levy and Michal Kalecki," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 17-30, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    profits; employment; elasticities of employment; sources and sustainability of profits; beneficial and pathological phases; 'wasted profits'.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A10 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - General
    • B50 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - General
    • E00 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - General
    • P10 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - General
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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