Occupy Economics Workshop Dec 10th

Occupy Economics Workshop Tuesday Dec. 10th, 6:30 – 8:30 Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St. Toronto Event is free Topic: Introduction to Post-Neoclassical Economics Part 2. Social evolution of economic typologies In terms of historical evolution of economic typologies, Neoclassical economics generally only discern between industrial and pre-industrial economies, and assume that with the advent of industrial societies, all economic economic activities conforms to its model of market exchanges driven by rational agents solely out to maximize self-interest. However, in modern societies it is not difficult to find economic activities that have different aspirations than self-maximization. As we saw in the workshop about the Kula Ring, exchange activities in the societies taken part in the Kula Ring* were commonly undertaken linked to strong social purposes. In modern economics exchanges with social purposes that reject the economism assumed by neoclassical economics can also be found, albeit often in peripheral positions to the general commercialized markets. * You can revisit the Kula Ring presentation at occupyeconomics.ca/arc.html where it is found under June 4th Reading: “The Social Embedment of Exchange”, chapter 4 in “The end of Rational Economics”. Downloadable at www.occupyeconomics.ca/endrty