Istota handlu w świetle współczesnej literatury ekonomicznej

Abstract

It is conventionally accepted, that trade denotes a secluded economic discipline in the social division of work, moving the mass of goods from the production to the consumption sphere. However, there is no complete agreement as to what place the trade holds in the complex of economic processes as well as to the functions exercised by trade. The correct conception of the essence of trade requires consideration of special postulates: a) statements explaining the essence fo trade ought to be so general that they refer to the complex of this economic discipline, b) the essence fo trade ought to reflect objectively the existing elements and not the elements which ought to be, c) the economic categorie of „trade" should be explained in close connection with materialistic grounds, of economic relations, d) the essence of trade ought to be explained on the basis of economics. In contemporary literature, three basic outlooks on the essence of trade can be noted. Some authors stress mostly the role of trade in the process of reproduction, others stress its functions as the distributer of goods, still others, the representatives of so called theory of service trade, regard trade as the producer of services in the meaning of rendering of all kinds facilities and benefits on behalf of the consumers. Each of these three ideas introduces some hew essential moments and simultaneously it is debitted with some deficiencies. The basic fault of the theory of services mostly proposed is, that the different kind of services suggested concern mainly retail trade, but the remaining spheres of trade are not joined with an aven type of economic services.