Background
Non-marketed economic activities encompass a wide range of economic behaviors where goods and services are created and distributed outside the mechanisms of standard market transactions. These activities can be carried out by individuals, organizations, or governments.
Historical Context
Historically, non-marketed economic activities have always been part of economic systems, yet they have often gone unvalued in traditional economic analyses. These activities have been predominant in subsistence economies and remain significant even in modern economies, playing crucial roles in supplementation and social support mechanisms.
Definitions and Concepts
Non-marketed economic activities are defined as economic actions that produce goods and services without them being traded through formal market transactions. Examples include:
- Personal childcare and eldercare
- Housework and domestic chores
- Volunteer services by charities and religious organizations
- Public sector services like government-provided healthcare, education, and social services
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economics often overlooked non-marketed economic activities, concentrating on market exchanges and the ‘visible hand’ of government.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical economics also focuses on market transactions but recognizes market failures where non-marketed activities become exceptionally valuable, like public goods and services.
Keynesian Economics
This framework places considerable importance on government-provided non-market services such as infrastructure, social welfare, and public education—all of which stimulate economic demand.
Marxian Economics
Marxian economics emphasizes the contribution of unpaid labor, viewing household activities as critical components sustaining capitalist economies by providing for the workforce without monetized compensation.
Institutional Economics
Institutional economics examines how social, cultural, and political dimensions shape non-market economic activities using broader views compared to classical standard markets.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economists may study how psychological and social factors impact individuals’ decisions to engage in non-marketed economic activities.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesians reiterate the key role of non-marketed government services supporting economic stability and long-term growth.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economics might view these activities differently, concentrating on individual action but typically prioritizing market-based exchanges over non-market activities.
Development Economics
Development economics puts significant importance on non-marketed activities, particularly in providing essential services in low-income countries where markets are not fully developed.
Monetarism
While monetarism primarily deals with money supply and inflation, it implicitly recognizes the role of non-market services in influencing the collective demand and supply.
Comparative Analysis
A comparison of different schools of thought shows diverse views on the role and value of non-market activities. While some minimize their significance relative to market transactions, others see them as essential supports in creating cohesive, functional economies.
Case Studies
Examples include national health systems funded by tax revenue, community volunteering programs, economic contributions in unpaid family caregiving, and countless DIY home improvement activities.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “The Value of Everything: Making and Taking in the Global Economy” by Mariana Mazzucato
- “Unpaid Work and the Economy: A Gender Analysis of the Standards of Living, Measurement, and Impacts” by Indira Hirway
- “Services and the Green Economy” edited by John Stanmore and Ruth Woods
Related Terms with Definitions
- Public Goods: Goods provided by the state that are non-excludable and non-rivalrous.
- Voluntary Sector: Part of the economy comprising NGOs and various volunteer groups.
- Household Production: Goods and services produced by family members for their indirect consumption.
- Informal Economy: Economic activities occurring outside formal market regulations.
