This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics an... more This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics and economy, and is a companion to (Alvey 2010b), which deals with Xenophon (434-355 BC). In this paper I discuss Plato (427-347 BC). Like Xenophon, he was a student of Socrates (469-399 BC). Subsequently, Plato became the teacher of Aristotle (384-322 BC). Plato wrote primarily dialogues, rather than treatises. These have been classified, according to assumed composition date, into 'early', 'middle', and 'late' dialogues. I propose to show some of the ethical elements in the political economy of Plato's 'early' and 'middle' dialogues. In these dialogues Plato sometimes claims that possession of intellectual and moral virtue is sufficient for eudaimonia (human flourishing). Plato says little, in these dialogues, about household management (oikonomia or oikonomikē), or microeconomics. His analysis focuses on the psychology (i.e. the soul) of the individual and the Greek city (polis). In the language of Amartya Sen, there is a strong 'ethics-related' view of motivation in these dialogues. After a brief introduction, in the second section I discuss the rule of reason and hedonism in the Gorgias (one of the 'early' dialogues). The third section discusses the Euthydemus (another 'early' dialogue) and the Phaedo (a 'middle' dialogue). The final section discusses Plato's most famous work, the Republic (another 'middle' dialogue).
Contents: 1. Introduction 2. An Introduction to Ancient Greek Political Economy 3. An Introductio... more Contents: 1. Introduction 2. An Introduction to Ancient Greek Political Economy 3. An Introduction to the Socratics: Socrates and Xenophon 4. Plato Part I: The `Early' and `Middle' Dialogues 5. Plato Part II: The `Late' Dialogues 6. Aristotle Part I: Ethics 7. Aristotle Part II: Politics (High and Low) 8. Aristotle Part III: Economics 9. Conclusion References Index
Chapter 1 Table of Contents Chapter 2 1 Introduction Chapter 3 2 John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and t... more Chapter 1 Table of Contents Chapter 2 1 Introduction Chapter 3 2 John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and the Development of Political Economy Chapter 4 3 Adam Smith and the Invention of Economic Science Chapter 5 4 Ethical and Methodological Foundations of Marshall's Economics Chapter 6 5 Keynes's Return to Reality: The General Theory of Employment Chapter 7 6 Rational Expectations Economics as the New Classical Economics Chapter 8 7 Friedrich A. Hayek's Economic Theory of Law Chapter 9 8 The Theory of Economic Development as Presented by Gunnar Myrdal Chapter 10 Notes Chapter 11 Appendix Chapter 12 Bibliography Chapter 13 Index
This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics an... more This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics and economy, and is a companion to (Alvey 2010b), which deals with Xenophon (434-355 BC). In this paper I discuss Plato (427-347 BC). Like Xenophon, he was a student of Socrates (469-399 BC). Subsequently, Plato became the teacher of Aristotle (384-322 BC). Plato wrote primarily dialogues, rather than treatises. These have been classified, according to assumed composition date, into 'early', 'middle', and 'late' dialogues. I propose to show some of the ethical elements in the political economy of Plato's 'early' and 'middle' dialogues. In these dialogues Plato sometimes claims that possession of intellectual and moral virtue is sufficient for eudaimonia (human flourishing). Plato says little, in these dialogues, about household management (oikonomia or oikonomikē), or microeconomics. His analysis focuses on the psychology (i.e. the soul) of the individual and the Greek city (polis). In the language of Amartya Sen, there is a strong 'ethics-related' view of motivation in these dialogues. After a brief introduction, in the second section I discuss the rule of reason and hedonism in the Gorgias (one of the 'early' dialogues). The third section discusses the Euthydemus (another 'early' dialogue) and the Phaedo (a 'middle' dialogue). The final section discusses Plato's most famous work, the Republic (another 'middle' dialogue).
James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize for economic sciences in 1986. This paper sketches the foundat... more James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize for economic sciences in 1986. This paper sketches the foundations of his work and how it developed over time. By the 1960s he saw exchange as the key to the whole discipline of economics. Gradually he shifted the focus from ‘gains from trade’ in regular markets to politics. Contracts regarding goods and services were broadened to constitutional contracts. Always the approach was to start from the status quo and look for Pareto gains. Especially in his early work, Buchanan was a strong advocate of positivism. Over time this softened. The paper starts by listing his foundational assumptions. It then discusses Buchanan’s early methodological views on how economics should be understood. Next, it shows his understanding of the ethics of markets, exchange, private property and the minimal state. Finally, it shows how this approach logically leads to constitutional political economy. Even though the focus was on formal rules, over the years Buchanan beca...
Economics, Massey University. Comments and criticism are invited. Quotations may be made on expli... more Economics, Massey University. Comments and criticism are invited. Quotations may be made on explicit permission of the author(s). Further copies may be obtained from:
This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics an... more This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics and economy, and is a companion to (Alvey 2010b), which deals with Xenophon (434-355 BC). In this paper I discuss Plato (427-347 BC). Like Xenophon, he was a student of Socrates (469-399 BC). Subsequently, Plato became the teacher of Aristotle (384-322 BC). Plato wrote primarily dialogues, rather than treatises. These have been classified, according to assumed composition date, into 'early', 'middle', and 'late' dialogues. I propose to show some of the ethical elements in the political economy of Plato's 'early' and 'middle' dialogues. In these dialogues Plato sometimes claims that possession of intellectual and moral virtue is sufficient for eudaimonia (human flourishing). Plato says little, in these dialogues, about household management (oikonomia or oikonomikē), or microeconomics. His analysis focuses on the psychology (i.e. the soul) of the individual and the Greek city (polis). In the language of Amartya Sen, there is a strong 'ethics-related' view of motivation in these dialogues. After a brief introduction, in the second section I discuss the rule of reason and hedonism in the Gorgias (one of the 'early' dialogues). The third section discusses the Euthydemus (another 'early' dialogue) and the Phaedo (a 'middle' dialogue). The final section discusses Plato's most famous work, the Republic (another 'middle' dialogue).
Contents: 1. Introduction 2. An Introduction to Ancient Greek Political Economy 3. An Introductio... more Contents: 1. Introduction 2. An Introduction to Ancient Greek Political Economy 3. An Introduction to the Socratics: Socrates and Xenophon 4. Plato Part I: The `Early' and `Middle' Dialogues 5. Plato Part II: The `Late' Dialogues 6. Aristotle Part I: Ethics 7. Aristotle Part II: Politics (High and Low) 8. Aristotle Part III: Economics 9. Conclusion References Index
Chapter 1 Table of Contents Chapter 2 1 Introduction Chapter 3 2 John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and t... more Chapter 1 Table of Contents Chapter 2 1 Introduction Chapter 3 2 John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and the Development of Political Economy Chapter 4 3 Adam Smith and the Invention of Economic Science Chapter 5 4 Ethical and Methodological Foundations of Marshall's Economics Chapter 6 5 Keynes's Return to Reality: The General Theory of Employment Chapter 7 6 Rational Expectations Economics as the New Classical Economics Chapter 8 7 Friedrich A. Hayek's Economic Theory of Law Chapter 9 8 The Theory of Economic Development as Presented by Gunnar Myrdal Chapter 10 Notes Chapter 11 Appendix Chapter 12 Bibliography Chapter 13 Index
This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics an... more This paper extends an earlier work (Alvey 2010a), which sets the context of the ancient ethics and economy, and is a companion to (Alvey 2010b), which deals with Xenophon (434-355 BC). In this paper I discuss Plato (427-347 BC). Like Xenophon, he was a student of Socrates (469-399 BC). Subsequently, Plato became the teacher of Aristotle (384-322 BC). Plato wrote primarily dialogues, rather than treatises. These have been classified, according to assumed composition date, into 'early', 'middle', and 'late' dialogues. I propose to show some of the ethical elements in the political economy of Plato's 'early' and 'middle' dialogues. In these dialogues Plato sometimes claims that possession of intellectual and moral virtue is sufficient for eudaimonia (human flourishing). Plato says little, in these dialogues, about household management (oikonomia or oikonomikē), or microeconomics. His analysis focuses on the psychology (i.e. the soul) of the individual and the Greek city (polis). In the language of Amartya Sen, there is a strong 'ethics-related' view of motivation in these dialogues. After a brief introduction, in the second section I discuss the rule of reason and hedonism in the Gorgias (one of the 'early' dialogues). The third section discusses the Euthydemus (another 'early' dialogue) and the Phaedo (a 'middle' dialogue). The final section discusses Plato's most famous work, the Republic (another 'middle' dialogue).
James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize for economic sciences in 1986. This paper sketches the foundat... more James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize for economic sciences in 1986. This paper sketches the foundations of his work and how it developed over time. By the 1960s he saw exchange as the key to the whole discipline of economics. Gradually he shifted the focus from ‘gains from trade’ in regular markets to politics. Contracts regarding goods and services were broadened to constitutional contracts. Always the approach was to start from the status quo and look for Pareto gains. Especially in his early work, Buchanan was a strong advocate of positivism. Over time this softened. The paper starts by listing his foundational assumptions. It then discusses Buchanan’s early methodological views on how economics should be understood. Next, it shows his understanding of the ethics of markets, exchange, private property and the minimal state. Finally, it shows how this approach logically leads to constitutional political economy. Even though the focus was on formal rules, over the years Buchanan beca...
Economics, Massey University. Comments and criticism are invited. Quotations may be made on expli... more Economics, Massey University. Comments and criticism are invited. Quotations may be made on explicit permission of the author(s). Further copies may be obtained from:
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