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Economic efficiency is usually referred to as arguments for open
markets and free enterprise. But behind this superficial argument
lies many different system of thought we may call Market
Philosophy. There are deeper philosophical reasons for liking or
disliking open markets and free marketing. The politics of free
markets rest to a large extent on Market Philosophy that lends its
powerful arguments, both technical-logical and aesthetic, to
politics for business-society interaction. Economics efficiency is
but the glossy surface, deep underneath lies Market Philosophy. In
other words; it is Market philosophy that makes market and
marketing politically powerful concepts.
To understand the political attraction of markets and marketing you
therefore better explore philosophers behind the economists. You
may know Adam Smith, but what about Frances Hutcheson and
LordShaftesbury? If know about Milton Friedman, it’s high time to
learn about Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises! Using this simple
idea the course will explore the following important instances of
Market Philosophy. But start with a methodological introduction
Market philosophy methodology- identifying logics and
aesthetics in market philosophy: Oliver Williamson won
the Nobel Prize for rationally explaining why markets cannot always
be the solution. This course however claims that such rational
logical explanations do not suffice; they have to be supplemented
by powerful rhetoric of a more aesthetic sort. Popular books by
authors as different as Henry David Thoreau, Emile Zola, Ayn Rand,
George Orwell or Alfred Jarry provide aesthetics as politically
powerful as any Nobel laureate logical arguments. That is why such
texts are included in the
course.
Markets for Individualism: Adam Smith launched a
system for explaining individual judgment of values; economics as
well as moral. But what Greek philosophical ideas made him go for
“individualism”? We visit Lord Shaftesbury and the idea of market
as theatre marketing to its spectators. We discover the role of
Stoicism and Sentimentalism.
Markets for Cooperation:Leon Walras founded the
equilibrium theory of markets. Let us explore his wild side by
visiting Charles Fourier´s system of passions and desires and its
influence on early cooperative movements as well as later “Trade
not Aid” policies.
Markets for Freedom: James Buchanan won the Nobel prize
for his public choice theory; a powerful set of arguments for
limiting state bureaucracy advocated by e.g. the Cato
Institute. But what about Henry David Thoreau´s view on
Economic Freedom and Hollywood´s staging of the lonely hero-star
winning over the organization. Market philosophy here advocates
freedom in placed of bureaucracy and regulation.
Markets for Action: Behind Milton Friedman, free market
super-crusader, we find Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek and
Ludwig van Mises. In their spirit the (in)famous Mont
Pelerin-society lobbied for opening world markets after WWll. Are
there roots in anarchist attacks on Prussian Despotism and feudal
Kameralist business management? Let´s discover Max Stirner and
Friedrich Nietzsche. We understand how markets philosophy argue for
direct action in place of planning.
Marketing for Democracy:George Soros launched a revival of
philosopher Karl Popper who in turn scolded the classical Platonist
attack on sophism. As Romain Laufer convincingly argues; marketing
is a modern form of sophism. Let us revisit what Popper and how he
connects markets to democracy. Aesthetic cases are digital media
libertarianism such as Pirate Bay or Wikileaks.
Methodological Objectives:
Economic efficiency arguments for free markets and free enterprise
are but the tip of huge icebergs. Hidden “under the water” is
Market Philosophy on top of which economic efficiency arguments
become “visible” in societal debates. What makes the iceberg float
on general opinion is a combination of “logical argujments “ ans
rhetoric “aesthetics”. To show this the course methodology is to go
explore the hidden parts of the iceberg and point at some examples
of powerful aesthetics of Market Philosophy in popular media; like
novels, movies, and music.
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A Compendium with exerpt from the following sources will
be used:
Buchanan, james M and Tullock Gordon, 1962. Calculus of Consent,
Library of economics and liberty
Popper, Karl. 1966. The open society and its enemies.
Williamson, Oliver. 1975. Markets and hierarchies. Free Press
Thoreau, Henry David., 2006 Walden, Yale University Press
Stirner, Max, 1995 The Ego and Its own, Cambridge University Press
Smith Adam, 1982, The theory of moral Sentiments; Liberty Fund
Guillet de Monthoux, Pierre 1993, The Moral Philosophy of
Management, G.F.Sharpe
Czarnaiwska, Barbara and Guillet de Monthoux, Pierre, 2005. Good
Novels Bettet Management
Von Mises, Ludwig, 1981 Planned Chaos, Foundation for Economic
Education
Laufer, Romain, Paradeise Catherine 1990. Marketing Democracy.
Transaction Books
Rand Ayn, 1996. The fountainhead, Penguin books
Fourier, Charles, 1996, The theory of the four movements, Cambridge
University Press
Jarry Alfred, 1999, The Supermale, Exact Change
Zola, Emile, 1998, Ladies Paradise, Oxford University
Press
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