An economics for development and peace: With a particular focus on the thought of Ernst F. Schumacher

Ernst F. Schumacher'sSmall is Beautiful seems thoroughly persuasive even at the turn of the century, as reckless material development is increasingly recognized as a threat to peace. This article describes how his thought was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi's and Schumacher's ways of thinking are considered as alternative development theorees, different from any of those stemming from laissez-faire economics or Marxism. The formulation and proliferation of Schumacher's ideas about intermediate technologies are traced in both Indian and global contexts, to evaluate their sufficiency as bases for development. Moreover, their implications for contemporary economics are discussed, with the assistance of Amartya K. Sen's concepts of “capability,” “sympathy” and “commitment,” which are in clear contrast to the conventional concept of “economic man.” Finally, it is concluded that Schumacher's alternative development theories and practices, as well as Sen's economics, may play important roles in development and peace studies in the 21^st century. I am grateful to William Volgor, Michael McPherson, David Schrom and Mark Kurowski for their helpful suggestions on drafts of this article.     

The future of development economics: a methodological agenda

This paper discusses methodological differences between universalismand particularism in development economics by focusing on the‘East Asian Miracle’ debate. It proposes to builddevelopment economics as part of hetero-economics, not mono-economics,following Max Weber's methodology of social science, and suggestsdeveloping intermediate theories by abstracting directly fromgiven comparative settings. It also discusses the limitationsthat are inherent in this method, as well as ways to employthe method in actual analyses. This paper argues that the futuretask of development economics lies in recombining existing theoriesand developing new, complementing theories that will systematicallydelineate the diversity of developing countries.     

马克思主义经济学人本思想对财务学研究的启示与拓展

针对财务学的“经济人”假设进行了探讨,认为正是由于公司财务理论研究前提假定的非真实性,导致了当前主流财务学在研究导向、研究方法和研究对象上的失效。马克思经济学人本主义思想为财务学研究如何贴近社会现实提供了一个很好的借鉴思路。财务学本身具有社会属性,在此基础上,财务学研究的领域可以扩展到制度财务学、财务社会学、财务心理学、财务伦理学等方面。     

N.H. Stern on substance and method in development economics

Stern's observations on some major topics in development economics are examined, notably his interpretation of the hypothesis of the vicious circle of poverty, as well as his observations on the extent, movement and measurement of international income differences, the implications of central planning, and the effects of development aid. Issues of both substance and method are examined. The inadequacies of some leading ideas of development economics, defended by Stern, are considered. Significant instances of inappropriate aggregation and quantification are noted, as well as some results of the treatment as parameters of factors which are regarded appropriately as variables. Problems of assessing evidence, including assessment of the effects of policies, are also discussed.     

Confronting the science/value split: notes on feminist economics, institutionalism, pragmatism and process thought

What changes must economics undergo, if it is to become a moreadequate discipline, furthering of survival and flourishing?This essay argues that a break must be made from contemporarymainstream economics at the level of ontology (i.e., about thenature of reality). Drawing on neglected traditions of pragmatistphilosophy and process metaphysics, some elements of ‘old’institutionalist economics, and late-twentieth century naturalscience, it demonstrates that ample argument exists for a viewof the world as open, evolving and permeated with value. Furthermore,feminist scholarship offers an explanation for why such a worldviewfaces an uphill battle for acceptance.     

The legacy of the past: ancient economic thought on wealth and development

Ancient economic thought was in general hostile to enrichment and saw wealth as inner wealth. This attitude was coherent with an economy mainly closed and static, based on agriculture and on slave work. But also it greatly contributed to restrain economic development in ancient societies. Ancient economic thought had an enormous influence on early modern thought. The latter borrowed its hostility from enrichment, which contradicted the real tendency of the new society. Thus, from the beginning, modern economy could not enjoy the support of a high economic theory. It could not legitimate enrichment and the increase in consumption.     

The significance of Penrose's theory for the development of economics

Adam Smith identified the division of labour as the prime sourceof growth, through the generation of differentiated knowledge;the co-ordination problem was a consequence of this causal sequence.But Jevons, Walras, and their successors isolated co-ordinationfrom the growth of knowledge, and replaced causal sequenceswith formal proofs, despite Marshall's efforts to preserve Smith'stheoretical system. Penrose reinvented the Smith-Marshall analysisof the growth of knowledge, centred on the firm, but explicitlyendorsed the separation. Nevertheless her theory may permita more convincing treatment of the co-ordination of differentiatedknowledge than current models of rational choice equilibrium.     

The economics of Frank H. Knight: An Austrian interpretation

This paper interprets, in the modern Austrian economics perspective, Frank H. Knight's three core contributions; namely, economic methodology, theories of human action, uncertainty and entrepreneurship. Though Knight is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the Chicago School of economics, this paper argues that Knight's contributions are essentially Austrian. Influenced by William James, Henri Bergson and Max Weber, Knight's subjectivist economics can be seen as a link between Carl Menger and Ludwig von Mises in the history of Austrian subjectivism. This paper further suggests that Knight may be more appropriately located in the Austrian-German School, for the reason that the term “Austrian School” is too narrow to accommodate german influences. This paper concludes that Knight's legacies have left much to be appreciated by neoclassical mainstream economists in general and Austrian economists in particular. The author thanks Dian Kwan for her proof reading in this essay.     

Barbara Wooteen's lament for economics and vision of a social economics

The British social economist Barbara Wootton (1897–1988), engaged in a searching critique of the narrowness and abstraction of Neoclassical orthodoxy in herLament for Economics (1938), which was provoked by Robbins'Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science, and in her reply to Hayek'sThe Road to Serfdom. Her participation in Beveridge's wartime “brains trust” resulted in her Fabian Society pamphlet,Full Employment (1943). This paper examines Wootton's critique of Neoclassical Economics; her vision of a broader, more realistic social economics; her attempts to apply that vision of social economics inThe Social Foundations of Wages Policy (1955), andIncomes Policy (1974), and parallels between her work and North American developments in social economics. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A03DH034 00003     

The application of development economics: general principles and context specificity

The purpose of this paper is to consider the application ofdevelopment economics at the methodological level. In particular,given the shortcomings of both the modernist and postmodernistapproaches to development policy, we consider an alternativeapproach, drawing on critical realism, which combines the benefitsof generality with the benefits of attention to specificityof context. The approach is illustrated by showing how principlesin development economics addressing issues of globalisationand peripherality can serve to illuminate some of the causaltendencies at work in a developed economy such as Scotland.     

经济学的时间及其革命

时间是人类认识世界的一种基本方式,人类时间观的改变不可避免地影响着人们对经济世界的认知。人类时间概念内涵的变化体现在经济理论发展的不同阶段中。本文阐述了人类时间概念演化史,分析了内涵不同的时间观在经济学理论建构中的地位和作用,以及时间观现代变革对经济学当前发展的意义。     

论马克思主义政治经济学理论创新——兼论政治经济学学科的发展方向

本文拟在三个既定前提条件下论证三个命题.三个既定前提条件是:1.中国新民主主义革命胜利、新中国和社会主义制度的建立,是马克思主义与中国实际结合的产物;2.1978年开始的改革开放和现代化建设,是在中国化的马克思主义指导下进行的;3.今后中国的改革发展还要以马克思主义为指导.要论证的三个命题是:1.马克思主义政治经济学必须创新;2.马克思主义政治经济学能够创新;3.马克思主义政治经济学创新的基本方向是:坚持实践第一,坚持把马克思主义基本原理与中国实际相结合,坚持吸收人类创造的一切文明成果.     

职业安全规制问题研究:基于法经济学的视角

控制和减少职业伤害,救济遭受职业伤害的劳动者,维护职业安全,是任何一个民主、法制、健康和谐的社会必须高度重视的社会经济问题,也是政府实施社会性规制的重要领域。我国国民经济高速增长的背后隐藏着巨大的社会成本,包括越来越严重的职业安全问题。各类生产安全事故的频繁发生,职业病发病人数的不断增加,折射出我国劳工状况不容乐观、劳动者权利未能得到有效保护的现实。在建设社会主义和谐社会的大背景下,应该从完善政府社会性规制入手寻求破解之道。     

A comparative study of hype cycles among actors within the socio-technical system: With a focus on the case study of hybrid cars

Many forms of technology cycle models have been developed and utilized to identify emergent technologies and forecast social changes, and among these, the technology hype cycle introduced by Gartner has become established as an effective method widely utilized in the field. However, if the hype cycle indeed exists in the various dimensions that constitute the socio-technical system, those who seek to analyze innovative activities using bibliometrics will be confronted with the new problem of actors' choices and the need to analyze their hype cycles. In seeking to overcome such limitations of conventional studies, this paper analyzes the hype cycles of three actors that constitute the core of the socio-technical system through the case study of the successful market entry of hybrid cars. The hype cycle of the user, the first actor, is analyzed based on the search traffic generated by their web searches, and the hype cycle of the producer or researcher, the second actor, is measured based on the data regarding patent applications. Lastly, the hype cycle of the information distributor, namely individuals constituting the market network, is analyzed by examining the exposure in news reports. The outcomes of this research showed that among the three actors, the consumers and the information distributors exhibited hype cycle patterns (bell curves) that were distinct from the market trend, and that there was a difference in time interval of around five quarters. By contrast, it was found that the hype cycle of the producers reflected a logical response, exhibiting a pattern similar to the S-curve during the market's growth period unlike the pattern found in other actors. In conclusion, this study of the particular case of hybrid cars confirmed that the two components of the hype cycle can be respectively verified using consumer search traffic and the patent applications made by the producers. If in the future, such analyses of the hype cycles of producers and consumers are expanded in application to various other industries, it will be possible to obtain more generalizable research outcomes. This is expected to contribute to determining technological life cycles or hype cycles with greater objectivity and efficacy, and furthermore to facilitate the systematic identification of promising technologies.     

Resolving the impasse on hospital scale economics: a new approach

The existence of scale economies in hospitals in important for both public and managerial policy, yet production and cost function studies have found conflicting evidence. More recently, more sophisticated studies have typically found scale diseconomies, which is inconsistent with the views of industry participants and observers. In the early 1980s. California deregulated both private and public health insurance (Medical), which provides a natural laboratory for examining hospital efficiency. Using Stigler's original and multivariate survivor analysis, we resolve the conflict in favour of scale economies, and reconcile the controversy. The survivorship methodology in simple to apply, and a useful tool in conjunction with statistical cost and production studies.