2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Economics B
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Kei Ehara
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.S209
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 17, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on the former part of the basic theory of capitalism based on Marxian economics. We explain the concepts of commodity, money, and capital which are indispensable to discuss the structure of the capitalist market. Using these concepts, we analyze the capitalist market and its theoretical flexibility to transform itself.
The aim of the course is to make use of the world most advanced study of Marxian economics in Japan to demonstrate an alternative theory of market that could effectively be counterposed to a commonplace conception of market: supply and demand equilibrium. Students will be able to reasonably consider how and why people have diversified views of economy and society.
Course description and aims
1) Understand the basic theory of economics that begins with the analysis of commodity
2) Theoretically consider the capitalist market by systematically relating the concepts of commodity, money, and capital
3) Theoretically study the structural flexibility of the capitalist market
Keywords
Capitalism, Commodity, Money, Capital, Market, Marx
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures based on course materials. Students are required to give comments on each lecture. Quenstions and comments will be taken up in the course.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction | Overview of the course. Preface of textbook |
| Class 2 | Capitalism and Marxian Economics | Introduction of textbook |
| Class 3 | Things and Commodities | pp. 21-26 of textbook |
| Class 4 | The Two Factors of the Commodity | pp. 26-30 of textbook |
| Class 5 | Value-form (1): Expressing Value | pp. 31-38 of textbook |
| Class 6 | Value-form (2): Price | pp. 38-48 of textbook |
| Class 7 | A Brief Summary | A brief summary of the theory of commodity and quiz |
| Class 8 | Valorization | pp. 79-86 of textbook |
| Class 9 | A Polymorphic Approach to Money and Capital (1): Material Money and Metamorphosis | pp. 86-92 of textbook |
| Class 10 | Credit System (1): Commercial Credit | pp. 220-226 of textbook |
| Class 11 | Credit System (2): Bank Credit | pp. 226-244 of textbook |
| Class 12 | A Polymorphic Approach to Money and Capital (2): Asset Agglomeration and Credit Money | pp. 92-95 of textbook |
| Class 13 | The Market with Money | pp. 49-77, 95-98 of textbook |
| Class 14 | Conclusion and Exam | Reconsidering the theory of market, exam |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Michiaki Obata, The Principles of Political Economy, University of Tokyo Press, 2009 (Japanese)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Kei Ehara, Redesigning Marxian Value Theory, Sakurai Shoten, 2024 (Japanese)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Comments and Quizes (30%), Exam (70%)
Related courses
- LAH.S109 ： Economics A
- LAH.S310 ： Economics C
- LAH.S407 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences7:Economics
Prerequisites
High-level Japanese literacy
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
ehara.k.ac [at] m.titech.ac.jp