Teaching the Labor Theory of Value in China: Addressing Challenges with Effective Methods

This article explores effective teaching methods for the labor theory of value in Chinese economic education, with a focus on addressing students’ negative perceptions of Marxist economics. While Marxist economics remains one of the most widely taught heterodox approaches in Chinese universities, its prevalent treatment as ideological-political education has led to students’ stereotypical perceptions of the subject. To address this issue, the teaching design prioritizes the concept of surplus and uses the video game “Don’t Starve” as a scenario to illustrate the distribution of total social labor under various production relations. This approach highlights the social dimensions of the labor theory of value, enhancing engagement, and rectifying stereotypical misconceptions. Pre-course and post-course surveys indicate that these methods improve students’ understanding and critical thinking regarding the labor theory of value. JEL Classification : A22, B51