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on Heterodox Microeconomics |
By: | Popov, Vladimir |
Abstract: | Utopian socialists believed that socialism is inevitable because it is a more rational system to organize production and life, a system more in line with the “good” nature of human beings. Marxism rejected this reasoning replacing it with what is known as historical materialism: social systems, it argued, emerge, develop and die not because they correspond more or less to the “natural” aspirations of the people, but because they become more or less competitive in the process of historical evolution – a version of social Darwinism applied not to individuals, but to communities and countries. In particular, Marxism stated that capitalism develops productive forces up to the point when they can no longer be managed efficiently in societies with markets and private property; at this point social property of the means of production and centrally planned economy (CPE) become a more efficient way of managing productive forces, whose social nature has outgrown the narrow capitalist limits. This prediction did not come true – in the XX century socialism came to being not in most advanced capitalist countries, but in the periphery and semi-periphery (USSR, Eastern Europe, China, North Korea, Cuba), and only in North Korea and Cuba it survived into the XXI century. This paper explains why capitalism was competitive in recent 500 years, and why an attempt in the XX century to replace it by socialist CPEs did not succeed. But it argues that there are other reasons, not associated with “social nature of productive forces”, which are finally going to make socialism competitive: the costs of numerous negative consequences of high income inequalities, like greater social tensions, high crime and poor institutional capacity of the state, become larger than the benefits of high savings and investment rate that were making capitalism competitive for 500 years. This “new socialism” will not be necessarily mean a total elimination of markets and private property, but is likely to limit both substantially for the sake of achieving lower income inequality. |
Keywords: | Socialism, inequalities, savings, growth, economic history |
JEL: | N00 O1 O10 P0 P1 P2 |
Date: | 2014–03–09 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:54294&r=hme |
By: | Bart J. Wilson (Chapman University, Economic Science Institute) |
Keywords: | experimental economics, deception, professional ethics of economists |
JEL: | C90 |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:chu:wpaper:14-05&r=hme |
By: | Santos, Susana |
Abstract: | In looking for empirical evidence about the activity of countries, a proposal is made for studying (measuring and modelling) the activity of countries through the use of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) and Socio-Demographic Matrices (SDMs). SAMs and SDMs are presented as tools that have specific features for conducting studies in several different areas, particularly in the Socio-Economics of Ageing, as well as for supporting policy decision processes. Based on methodological principles that are derived mainly from the works of Richard Stone, emphasis is placed on the desirability of working in a matrix format, which includes not only people (SDM), but also, at the same time, activities, products, factors of production and institutions (SAM). This is considered to be a way of capturing the relevant network of linkages and the corresponding multiplier effects for the subsequent modelling of the activity of the countries studied. The exposition of this proposal is accompanied by an example applied to Portugal. |
Keywords: | Social Accounting Matrix; Macroeconomic Policy; Socio-Demographic Matrices |
JEL: | E61 J11 |
Date: | 2014–02 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:53858&r=hme |
By: | Anna Kowalska-Pyzalska; Katarzyna Maciejowska; Katarzyna Sznajd-Weron; Rafal Weron |
Abstract: | This paper proposes an agent-based modeling (ABM) approach to study the diffusion and adoption of dynamic electricity tariffs. We discuss the difference between opinions and decisions of electricity consumers regarding dynamic pricing. By means of a simple ABM, we provide a plausible explanation for the observed in retail electricity markets discrepancy between the relatively high willingness to adopt dynamic tariffs and the actual low adoption rate. |
Keywords: | Dynamic electricity tariffs; Intetnion-behavior gap; Innovation diffusion; Agent-based model |
JEL: | C63 O33 Q48 Q55 |
Date: | 2014–01–22 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wuu:wpaper:hsc1401&r=hme |
By: | Michel Bellet (Université de Lyon, Lyon, F-69007, France ; CNRS, GATE Lyon St Etienne,F-69130 Ecully, France, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, F-42000, France) |
Abstract: | L’antiphysiocratie des saint-simoniens peut paraître assez naturelle. En effet, une doctrine saint-simonienne réputée pour son industrialisme utopiste ne pouvait, semble t-il, que s’opposer à ce que Smith a appelé le "système agricole". Cette interprétation, sans être totalement erronée, est une réduction abusive du point de vue saint-simonien. En effet, si, au début du XIXème siècle, les saint-simoniens peuvent être rangés dans la catégorie des "néo-smithiens" qui réfutent la thèse selon laquelle la terre est à l’origine de la richesse, ils le font à partir d’une approche spécifique, opposant oisifs et travailleurs. Cette partition modifie les débats classiques concernant le rôle des diverses classes et des revenus qui y sont associés, tout en légitimant un programme anti-physiocrate, opposé au rôle économique et politique des propriétaires fonciers. Pour autant, les saint-simoniens ne se contentent pas de cette opposition : ils soutiennent la méthode de Quesnay et sa définition de l’économie politique. Selon eux, il faut raisonner à partir d’un système, et une philosophie générale des rapports sociaux doit précéder la science des richesses. Même si la nature de cette philosophie diffère (droit naturel vs évolutionnisme historique et physiologique), cette communauté de vue revendiquée concernant la méthode et le refus d’autonomie de l’économie politique conduit les saint-simoniens à une définition et un usage originaux de leur antiphysiocratie, dans le contexte du premier tiers du XIXème siècle. |
Keywords: | Physiocracy, Quesnay, Saint-Simonism, Post-Smithian Theory, System |
JEL: | B1 N5 |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gat:wpaper:1409&r=hme |
By: | EVERLAM ELIAS MONTIBELER; CÉSAR SÁNCHEZ |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:anp:en2012:014&r=hme |
By: | Nicolas Barbaroux (GATE Lyon Saint-Étienne - Groupe d'analyse et de théorie économique - CNRS : UMR5824 - Université Lumière - Lyon II - École Normale Supérieure (ENS) - Lyon - PRES Université de Lyon - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Etienne - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I); Michel Bellet (GATE Lyon Saint-Étienne - Groupe d'analyse et de théorie économique - CNRS : UMR5824 - Université Lumière - Lyon II - École Normale Supérieure (ENS) - Lyon - PRES Université de Lyon - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Etienne - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I) |
Abstract: | Myrdal's works are usually analysed with a dual and separated point of view : on the one hand the methodological papers concerning the value problem and based on a strong non neutrality thesis ; on the other part the theoretical analysis concerning monetary theory and policy, with a Wicksellian filiation. In fact both the dimensions are strongly connected by a common way : the application of the Hägerström's Swedish guillotine between is and ought, but also the construction of a bridge between economic science and political views on social engineering and economic policy. Myrdal wants to address this problem : how economic science can become politically relevant ? This paper analyses two stages of that unique project : the proposition of a "technology of economics" (1930), and the selection process for a "norm for monetary policy" (1939). It shows that Myrdal distorts an initial end and means scheme by proposing some intermediary concepts between positive and normative fields. From a theoretical and statistical framework and an explicit value judgment these concepts enable to elaborate an iterative tree of selection of a speci-c monetary policy. If the Myrdal's project encounters difficulties in conciliating a non-cognitivist thesis with economic prescriptions and in proposing a tractable method, it remains an important benchmark for the analysis of the links between positive and normative views concerning monetary policy. |
Keywords: | value judgment; monetary policy; positive analysis; normative analysis |
Date: | 2014–02–26 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00952009&r=hme |
By: | EDUARDO ANGELI |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:anp:en2013:014&r=hme |
By: | Lawrence J. White |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ste:nystbu:14-07&r=hme |
By: | Pawe{\l} Fiedor |
Abstract: | The econophysics approach to socio-economic systems is based on the assumption of their complexity. Such assumption inevitably lead to another assumption, namely that underlying interconnections within socio-economic systems, particularly financial markets, are nonlinear, which is shown to be true even in mainstream economic literature. Thus it is surprising to see that network analysis of financial markets is based on linear correlation and its derivatives. An analysis based on partial correlation is of particular interest as it leading to the vicinity of causality detection in time series analysis. In this paper we generalise the Planar Maximally Filtered Graphs and Partial Correlation Planar Graphs to incorporate nonlinearity using partial mutual information. |
Date: | 2014–03 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:1403.2050&r=hme |
By: | Benno Torgler |
Abstract: | Historically, tax compliance has been a highly interdisciplinary avenue of research to which economics, psychology, law, sociology, history, political science, and accountancy have made valuable contributions. It is less well understood, however, whether we can glean useful insights into tax compliance by moving beyond the social sciences. In particular, the literature pays little attention to the relevance of biology. This paper attempts to remedy this shortcoming by examining the potential opportunities and limitations of introducing biological concepts into tax compliance research. |
Keywords: | tax compliance, tax morale, tax evasion, biology, genetics, neurobiology, demography, human drives, agent-based modelling |
JEL: | H26 B40 B52 C63 D03 Z19 |
Date: | 2014–03–07 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:qut:qubewp:wp025&r=hme |
By: | PEDRO MENDES LOUREIRO |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:anp:en2013:018&r=hme |
By: | Mohamed Akli Achabou; Adel Rink |
Abstract: | Les consommateurs dans les pays développés se montrent de plus en plus concernés par les questions éthiques. Pour répondre à leurs demandes, la quantité de produits responsables mise sur le marché n’a cessé d’augmenter ces dernières années. Si certains produits rencontrent un grand succès auprès des consommateurs, l’exemple des produits alimentaires biologiques, d’autres en revanche trouvent difficilement des débouchés, c’est le cas des produits de la mode éthique. L’objectif principal de cet article est de mettre en évidences les principales barrières qui empêchent la valorisation des produits issus de cette mode. Une enquête quantitative menée auprès de consommateurs français a montré que ces derniers n’achètent pas ces produits parce qu’ils ne connaissent pas leur existence ou parce qu’ils ne sont pas intéressés. Pour certains consommateurs, c’est plutôt la qualité ou le style de ces produits qui sont remis en cause. |
Keywords: | mode éthique, barrières à la consommation, consommateurs français. |
Date: | 2014–02–25 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipg:wpaper:2014-138&r=hme |
By: | EDUARDO DA MOTTA E ALBUQUERQUE |
Date: | 2014 |
URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:anp:en2012:002&r=hme |