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The transition began once we started to understand that commerce is not a natural phenomenon, but something enabled by social organization. Whatever social poli
by xapata 10y ago
The transition began once we started to understand that commerce is not a natural phenomenon, but something enabled by social organization. Whatever social policies (laws/norms) exist will affect how commerce proceeds. Studying economic dynamics under only one set of policies would be only a tiny portion of the field.
- anigbrowl 10y agoWhy do you think social organization is unnatural? There are (iirc) 17 eusocial species, most of which are insects but two or three of which are mammals, depending on how you define eusociality.
- xapata 10y agoNot social organization but free commerce -- a particular social organization. And "natural" in the sense of natural rights -- ethically correct and a stable equilibrium. Free commerce might be ethically correct, but that's certainly not obvious to everyone and it does not appear to be a stable equilibrium for social organization.
- anigbrowl 10y agoOh I see what you mean now. Thanks.