================= HES POSTING ================= [The following book abstract was submitted to the "Abstracts in economic history" rather than "Abstracts in the History of Economics" and therefore did not make it onto HES. Posted now for your information. -- RBE] EHS Abstract Submission (c) 1999 EH.Net ----------------------------------------------------------- Name: Bertil Fridin Email: [log in to unmask] Institution: Chalmers University of Technology Co-author: None Title: Rousseau's Economic Philosophy. Beyond the Market of Innocents. Internet Address of abstracted work: Not available on the Internet. By mail: Department of Building Design; Architectural Conservation Chalmers University of Technology SE-412 96 Goteborg SWEDEN Language: English Abstract: By using a close reading of an unusually broad selection of texts, this study can, for the first time, present Rousseau's economic philosophy in a consistent way. In contrast to Jean Starobinski who found Rousseau's anti-market views an "imaginative flight" dictated by a peculiar psychological disposition, Rousseau's position is demonstrated to be well-informed and consistent. They reflect an awareness of some general problems of constituting a democratic social choice as well as of problems he associates with market exchange: for example information costs, inefficiencies due to bargaining strategies and collective good problems. Accepting neither itatism, nor mercantilism or physiocratic thought, he advocates, as a temporary solution, that the provision of necessities and riches should be based on subsistence economies. In the long run, however, he found such a policy unfeasible and made some preliminary suggestions about the necessary properties of a democratic and social economy for a rich quality of life, not merely for childish lapri. They concerned such things as for example, the role of women, music and theatre. Bibliography: Fridin, Bertil. _Rousseau's Economic Philosophy. Beyond the Market of Innocents_. Kluwer Academic Publishers, October 1998. Subject: HES: AEH: L Geographical Area: 4 Country/Region: France, Switzerland Time Period: 6 ============ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ============ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]