Economic Development and the Death of the Free Market
Fix, Blair.
(2020).
Working Papers on Capital as Power. No. 2020/01. May. pp. 1-59.
(Article - Working Paper; English).
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https://capitalaspower.com/2020/05/2020-01-fix-economic-development-and-the-death-of-the-free-market/, https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/218838
Abstract or Brief Description
Free markets are, according to neoclassical economic theory, the most efficient way of organizing human activity. The claim is that individuals can benefit society by acting only in their self interest. In contrast, the evolutionary theory of multilevel selection proposes that groups must suppress the self interest of individuals. They often do so, the evidence suggests, by using hierarchical organization. To test these conflicting theories, I investigate how the ‘degree of hierarchy’ in societies changes with industrial development. I find that as energy use increases, governments tend to get larger and the relative number of managers tends to grow. Using a numerical model, I infer from this evidence that societies tend to become more hierarchical as energy use grows. This result is inconsistent with the neoclassical theory that individual self-interest is what benefits society. But it is consistent with the theory of multilevel selection, in which groups suppress the self-interest of their members.
Language
EnglishPublication Type
Article - Working PaperKeywords
culture development energy free market hierarchy multilevel selection power socialitySubject
BN MethodologyBN Power
BN Civilization & Social Systems
BN Conflict & Violence
BN Cooperation & Collective Action
BN Culture
BN Distribution
BN Ecology & Environment
BN Growth
BN Ideology
BN Industrial Organization
Depositing User
Jonathan NitzanDate Deposited
27 May 2020 23:11Last Modified
28 May 2020 14:54URL:
https://bnarchives.net/id/eprint/638Actions (login required)
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