著者

山根 卓二

出版者

経済学史学会

雑誌

経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.54, no.1, pp.43-60, 2012 (Released:2019-08-22)

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The purpose of this paper is to show that Karl William Kappʼs theory of social costs is a part of the broader research field of social value theory and to clarify how he drew policy implications from the social value theory. Kapp argued that theories in mainstream economics related to ex-ternal diseconomies cannot be applied to phe-nomena like the occurrence of photochemical smog. This is because these phenomena are dis-continuous and nonlinear and cannot be fit into the framework of arithmetic, economic calcula-tions by firms. His theory of social value ex-plains such phenomena by using a model with dynamic interactions among multiple systems (physical, biological, and economic systems)and their subsystems. According to the theory, individual organisms and the economy exist in a holistic system, repeating metabolic processes and maintaining dynamic states of balance (or a disequilibrium steady state). Dynamic states of balance can be sustained as long as the scale of pollution or natural resource depletion is small; however, if the scale exceeds the threshold, dy-namic states of balance no longer hold. For this reason, Kapp advocated the setting of minimum tolerance limits (Mindesttoleranzgrenzen) that would be necessary for the continued existence of individual organisms and the economy. JEL classification numbers: B25, B31, Q51.

著者

山根 卓二

出版者

The Japanease Society for the History of Economic Thought

雑誌

経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.50, no.2, pp.21-37, 2009-02-05 (Released:2010-08-05)

参考文献数

54

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By exploring a theory of human sciences that is the basis of Karl William Kapp's concept of institutional economics, this paper aims to clarify the originality of his social cost theory. The difference between the so-called external dis-economy theory, which is part of mainstream economics, and Kapp's social cost theory is a disagreement about rationality. The former assumes that entrepreneurial behavior to maximize profit is simply rational. Therefore, the cause of social loss, such as environmental disruption is not attributed to the entrepreneurial behavior per se, but is attributed to externalities called “exceptional cases.”On the other hand, in Kapp's social cost theory, irrational human actors are assumed. Kapp, who lived through Nazi oppression, and who was inspired by the methodology of psychologist Erich Fromm, sought to explain human irrationality by people's self-deceptive behaviors. In the background of conscious corporate desire for money and profit are the wholly unconscious human needs for stability, continuity, power, and social approval. And the fulfillment of these needs might be pursued even at the price of one's existence or well-being. For Kapp, social cost is a socio-pathological phenomenon generated collectively by enterprisers who, in their conscious minds, firmly believe themselves to be “sane.” While mainstream economics might define rationality solely from the perspective of monetary desire, Kapp takes unconscious needs into consideration as well as conscious needs, and seeks to define rationality within a comprehensive structure of human need, including biological and cultural needs. This is what is called substantive rationality. In order to develop this standard, Kapp's theory had to integrate economics with other social sciences, and even with the natural sciences.

著者

山根 卓二

出版者

経済学史学会

雑誌

経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.60, no.1, pp.197-198, 2018 (Released:2019-11-05)

著者

山根 卓二

出版者

経済学史学会

雑誌

経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.57, no.2, pp.130-131, 2016 (Released:2019-11-26)

著者

山根 卓二

出版者

経済学史学会

雑誌

経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.52, no.1, pp.50-66, 2010 (Released:2019-08-20)

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This paper aims to study the characteristics of the principles of Karl William Kapp’s cumulative causation. While Kapp’s cumulative causation is strongly influenced by that of Gunnar Myrdal, it is not a model that merely explains disequilibrium or the “vicious circle” phenomena. Kapp was always interested in constructing a model that addresses issues arising from the compartmentalization of modern sciences. Therefore, his critique of mainstream economics should be understood in this context. Kapp argued that the approaches of mainstream economics were misleading because they isolated economic systems from non-economic elements. According to him, the trend toward the compartmentalization of mainstream economics could be inhibited by employing a cumulativecausation approach. Kapp’s institutional economics, which integrates cumulative causation, is an approach that refutes the atomistic views of the world proposed by mainstream economics. Through these atomistic views, individuals regarded as eternal; however, Kapp’s approach regards them as transient phenomena appearing in holistic dynamic processes. Furthermore, his approach shows that a human being is an existence with a multi-level construction. A human being is a “bio-cultural” existence that grows physically and personally, incorporating material and energy from nature, and culture from the society. Some societies ignore the latent ability of their members and attempt to limit them to the mould of a particular culture. Kapp described this aspect by means of principles of cumulative causation. JEL classification numbers: B 25, B 31, Q 50.