David Colander and Roland Kupers
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691169132
- eISBN:
- 9781400850136
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691169132.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, History of Economic Thought
Complexity science—made possible by modern analytical and computational advances—is changing the way we think about social systems and social theory. Unfortunately, economists’ policy models have not ...
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Complexity science—made possible by modern analytical and computational advances—is changing the way we think about social systems and social theory. Unfortunately, economists’ policy models have not kept up and are stuck in either a market fundamentalist or government control narrative. While these standard narratives are useful in some cases, they are damaging in others, directing thinking away from creative, innovative policy solutions. This book outlines a new, more flexible policy narrative, which envisions society as a complex evolving system that is uncontrollable but can be influenced. The book describes how economists and society became locked into the current policy framework, and lay out fresh alternatives for framing policy questions. Offering original solutions to stubborn problems, the complexity narrative builds on broader philosophical traditions, such as those in the work of John Stuart Mill, to suggest initiatives that the authors call “activist laissez-faire” policies. The book develops innovative bottom-up solutions that, through new institutional structures such as for-benefit corporations, channel individuals’ social instincts into solving societal problems, making profits a tool for change rather than a goal. It argues that a central role for government in this complexity framework is to foster an ecostructure within which diverse forms of social entrepreneurship can emerge and blossom.Less
Complexity science—made possible by modern analytical and computational advances—is changing the way we think about social systems and social theory. Unfortunately, economists’ policy models have not kept up and are stuck in either a market fundamentalist or government control narrative. While these standard narratives are useful in some cases, they are damaging in others, directing thinking away from creative, innovative policy solutions. This book outlines a new, more flexible policy narrative, which envisions society as a complex evolving system that is uncontrollable but can be influenced. The book describes how economists and society became locked into the current policy framework, and lay out fresh alternatives for framing policy questions. Offering original solutions to stubborn problems, the complexity narrative builds on broader philosophical traditions, such as those in the work of John Stuart Mill, to suggest initiatives that the authors call “activist laissez-faire” policies. The book develops innovative bottom-up solutions that, through new institutional structures such as for-benefit corporations, channel individuals’ social instincts into solving societal problems, making profits a tool for change rather than a goal. It argues that a central role for government in this complexity framework is to foster an ecostructure within which diverse forms of social entrepreneurship can emerge and blossom.
David Colander and Roland Kupers
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691169132
- eISBN:
- 9781400850136
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691169132.003.0012
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, History of Economic Thought
This chapter reconsiders the structure and governance issues of corporations and enterprises more generally as a concrete example of how a complexity approach changes the way we think about policy. ...
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This chapter reconsiders the structure and governance issues of corporations and enterprises more generally as a concrete example of how a complexity approach changes the way we think about policy. It shows how a small change in the ecostructure, especially when applied at the formative embryonic stage of emerging institutions, can fundamentally change society from the bottom up, without massive state intervention. It argues that over time in some important sectors of the economy where social goals are important, existing for-profit and nonprofit enterprises can be replaced by socially friendly for-benefit enterprises, which are designed to allow social goals to be achieved in a sustainable way from the bottom up. The goal of the policy being advocated is to encourage the development of an institutional environment that is friendly to bottom-up policy solutions so that new socially focused enterprises can emerge and develop.Less
This chapter reconsiders the structure and governance issues of corporations and enterprises more generally as a concrete example of how a complexity approach changes the way we think about policy. It shows how a small change in the ecostructure, especially when applied at the formative embryonic stage of emerging institutions, can fundamentally change society from the bottom up, without massive state intervention. It argues that over time in some important sectors of the economy where social goals are important, existing for-profit and nonprofit enterprises can be replaced by socially friendly for-benefit enterprises, which are designed to allow social goals to be achieved in a sustainable way from the bottom up. The goal of the policy being advocated is to encourage the development of an institutional environment that is friendly to bottom-up policy solutions so that new socially focused enterprises can emerge and develop.
David Colander and Roland Kupers
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691169132
- eISBN:
- 9781400850136
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691169132.003.0013
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, History of Economic Thought
In the complexity frame, governmental policy is best thought of as operating in ecostructure space where institutions are designed. Its goal is to foster the creation of an ecostructure space that ...
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In the complexity frame, governmental policy is best thought of as operating in ecostructure space where institutions are designed. Its goal is to foster the creation of an ecostructure space that encourages creativity and bottom-up initiatives that create the institutions within which incentives are created and goals are formalized. The goal in the complexity frame is not to foster any specific ecostructure, but to let the ecostructure emerge, adapt, and evolve, and that includes changing government itself. This chapter discusses alternative forms of government, and how if one is going to use top-down policies, the structure of government institutions might be changed to better achieve the desired results.Less
In the complexity frame, governmental policy is best thought of as operating in ecostructure space where institutions are designed. Its goal is to foster the creation of an ecostructure space that encourages creativity and bottom-up initiatives that create the institutions within which incentives are created and goals are formalized. The goal in the complexity frame is not to foster any specific ecostructure, but to let the ecostructure emerge, adapt, and evolve, and that includes changing government itself. This chapter discusses alternative forms of government, and how if one is going to use top-down policies, the structure of government institutions might be changed to better achieve the desired results.
David Colander and Roland Kupers
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691169132
- eISBN:
- 9781400850136
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691169132.003.0015
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, History of Economic Thought
This book has discussed new techniques and methods to address the societal challenges we face. These new approaches change the way policy is framed. The book is an attempt to provide a new compass ...
More
This book has discussed new techniques and methods to address the societal challenges we face. These new approaches change the way policy is framed. The book is an attempt to provide a new compass for policy discussions. This chapter discusses why the complexity frame matters; the evaporation of the optimism that existed in the twentieth century about our ability to deal with major societal challenges; the need for the government to create an ecostructure conducive to allow people the institutional space to self-organize in new ways to solve social problems; and how the complexity policy frame encourages individuals on all sides to be civil.Less
This book has discussed new techniques and methods to address the societal challenges we face. These new approaches change the way policy is framed. The book is an attempt to provide a new compass for policy discussions. This chapter discusses why the complexity frame matters; the evaporation of the optimism that existed in the twentieth century about our ability to deal with major societal challenges; the need for the government to create an ecostructure conducive to allow people the institutional space to self-organize in new ways to solve social problems; and how the complexity policy frame encourages individuals on all sides to be civil.
