A Study on “Value” Concept of the Austrian School

The marginal utility theory of Austrian School is an important value theory in western economics. Need theory is the basis and premise of value theory. Need, which is equivalent to desire, has two specific connotations: "one of many needs" and "feelings of a certain need". The contribution and innovation of the need theory of Austrian School lies in that it puts forward two classifications of needs through studying the significance of needs, points out that value is only related to the classification of degrees of needs, reveals the general rule that the importance of one need decreases gradually with the increase in satisfaction, and puts forward the core concept of "marginal utility". The Austrian School studies the quality and quantity of value with human needs or desires as the measure of value. In the qualitative aspect of value, whether people's needs can be met is the direct basis for judging the existence of value, and whether it can improve people's life and welfare is the fundamental reason to judge the value of goods. In terms of the quantity of value, economists of the Austrian School propose the principle that marginal utility determines the value of the last unit of goods, completely solve Adam Smith's value paradox and achieve the transcendence of subjective utility theory.