Politics and the Theory of Spontaneous Order

Description

The theory of spontaneous order conceptualises and explains a number of institutional and social phenomena that are not an intended effect of either individual decisions or a collective consensus but an unplanned outcome of interactions between people pursuing their own aims. Drawing on these insights, this book demonstrates the utility of the theory of spontaneous order in explaining many phenomena in political economy and political science. The book opens with a discussion of the history and development of the theory of spontaneous order, particularly in economics and the Austrian School. The epistemological premises of the theory are then explored including the formulation of the central idea of social individualism. Demonstrating the potential applications of the theory of spontaneous order to politics, core ideas are examined including democracy, fragile states and the concept of the veil of ignorance. Finally, the limitations and constraints of the theory of spontaneous order are also reviewed and discussed. This book marks a valuable contribution to the literature on political economy, political science, public choice and political philosophy. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of contents Acknowledgements Introduction Part I The idea of spontaneous order in the history of the social sciences 1 The idea of spontaneous order in reflection on the nature of the social world Notes Bibliography 2 History of the idea of spontaneous order Antiquity The scholastics The Enlightenment The Austrian School of Economics Notes Bibliography Part II The theory of spontaneous order 3 Epistemological foundations of the theory of spontaneous order Human action Methodological individualism and subjectivism Methodological individualism Methodological subjectivism Between atomism and holism Knowledge, creativity and praxeology Knowledge Creativity Praxeology Notes Bibliography 4 Spontaneous order Notes Bibliography Part III Application of the theory of spontaneous order in political science 5 Political science and the theory of spontaneous order Pluralism in political science The theory of spontaneous order in relation to the epistemic system of contemporary political science Notes Bibliography 6 The theory of spontaneous order versus public choice theory The problem of knowledge Public choice theory The primacy of the problem of knowledge Implications Radical ignorance Government failure Notes Bibliography 7 Limits of planning Market processes and political processes Democracy Criticism of the concept of the veil of ignorance Notes Bibliography 8 Fragile states State dysfunction as a coordination problem The example of Somalia Implications Notes Bibliography Part IV Criticism and limitations of the theory of spontaneous order 9 Limitations of the theory of spontaneous order Limitations on the application of the theory of spontaneous order in political science Unclearness of the concept of spontaneous order as a problem situation Notes Bibliography 10 The structure of human cognition Hayek’s concept of the cognitive system The structure of the human cognitive apparatus Boundaries of cognition The embodied-embedded mind paradigm Notes Bibliography Conclusion Index