A Labor Theory of Values. Employment Structure, Survey Sensitivity, and Cultural Emancipation in Modernizing Societies

Comparative Sociology. 2026. Vol. 25. No. 1. P. 42–78.

Musaev A. U., Ankudinov I.

This article explores the impact of employment structure on emancipative values across countries with varying levels of development and cultural sensitivity, particularly focusing on Asian societies. Building upon modernization theory, which traditionally emphasizes economic growth as the primary driver of value change, we introduce and test an alternative hypothesis – that the sectoral composition of employment (agricultural, industrial, and post-industrial) significantly mediates shifts from materialistic to emancipative values. Using data from the World Values Survey spanning 1981–2022, we apply panel regression models and regression discontinuity designs to investigate these dynamics. Our results show a nuanced relationship: the transition from agricultural to service-oriented employment does indeed promote emancipative values, but only once a certain threshold of economic development is reached. In poorer economies, the mere expansion of the service sector, often involving low-skilled jobs, does not trigger significant value liberalization. In wealthier contexts, growth in service employment enhances autonomy, tolerance, and inclusiveness. Post-industrial employment has a significant impact at both the individual and country levels, but there is no joint effect.

Keywords: World Values Survey, modernization theory, social desirability, employment structure, emancipative values, threshold effects

Publication based on the results of: Comparative studies of culture and subjective well-being: differentiation and integration of societies in the context of global challenges (2025)