Exploitation

: Karl Marx defined exploitation as the "theft" of surplus value from workers, where capitalists appropriate the extra value created by labor beyond the cost of the worker's wages. Key Academic & Briefing Papers Justice for those vulnerable to exploitation - RAND

: While many think of exploitation as causing harm, some philosophers argue it can be "mutually beneficial" if both parties end up better off than they were before, yet one party still captures an unfair share of the value.

Research often distinguishes between different "modes" of exploitation based on the nature of the transaction or the systemic environment:

: Transactional exploitation occurs in discrete interactions (e.g., a con artist exploiting an elder), while structural exploitation is caused by background social or economic injustices that force people into unfair terms.