John Gray (socialist)

John Gray (* 1799 in Scotland, † April 26, 1883 in London ) was a utopian socialist and author of economic writings.

Life and work

Gray came from Scotland. He spent his school years in Repton (Derbyshire ). At fourteen, he came to London to make a business education with a merchant.

At any interested economic issues, he made in August 1817, the acquaintance of the entrepreneur Robert Owen. Gray was enthusiastic about Owens ideas and helped in 1821 with a model settlement after its plans in Orbiston, near Glasgow set up.

From 1825 Gray served as editor and publisher of various magazines and newspapers, such as: Leith Edinburgh, Glasgow and North British Commercial and Literary Adviser. During this time he also came forward with economic policy works, which triggered some fierce controversy.

Reception

In The social system the doctrine of John Gray for the first time systematically developed by working as a direct measure of the money which he had made himself the forerunner of Pierre- Joseph Proudhon, as Karl Marx in his work Critique of Political Economy. Marx therefore Gray also mentioned in his critique of Proudhon's " timesheet ".

Gray was the question why all the goods their value in an exclusive commodity, ie the money value. But instead of fixing the problem, he imagined that the goods could be related directly to each other without the intervention of money, so Marx. Grays thesis was thus: " Each item is immediately money."

Works (selection)

• The social System. A treatise on the principle of exchange. Edinburgh 1831
• Lectures on the nature and use of money. Delivered before the members of the " Edinburgh Philosophical Institution " during the month of February and March, 1848. Edinburgh 1848.
• From human happiness (A lecture on human happiness ). Leipzig, 1907.
• An efficient remedy for the distress of nations. Edinburgh 1842.
• The currency question ... A rejected letter to the editor of the " Times " .... Edinburgh, 1847.