Greek-born Marxian economist who formulated the theory of unequal exchange rooted in wage differentials
Born in Patras, Greece, Emmanuel studied economics and law in Athens and in 1937 went to work in commerce in the Belgian Congo. In 1942 he volunteered for the Greek forces in the Middle East and took part in the April 1944 left-wing uprising against the government-in-exile, for which a court-martial sentenced him to death; he was pardoned by the end of 1945. In 1957 he moved to France and, as a graduate student under Charles Bettelheim, first presented his theory of unequal exchange in 1961–62, publishing L'échange inégal in 1969. Its implication that workers of high-wage nations share in the exploitation of low-wage ones made it a heated subject among Marxists.
Activities and affiliations
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1961–2001
Scholarship and theory
Career Timeline
- 1944.04Took part in the left-wing uprising of the Greek forces in the Middle East
- 1957Moved to France
- 1969L'échange inégal