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Pareto and the Missing Concept of Prudence

Author

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  • Alasdair Marshall

    (University of Southampton - Southampton Business School)

Abstract

The article proposes that Pareto’s Treatise on General Sociology deserves to be read with an ethical concern to establish how it can help its readers become more prudent. This concern is accorded urgency in view of the fact that the book offers ideas which chime with those held by growing numbers of online extremist political activists loosely linked to what is increasingly called the ‘alt right’. The central argument is that the full ‘mirror for princes’ guidance value of the text can be realised when readers disregard its Machiavellian-Paretian psychological realism which over-emphasises the influences of animal spirits on thought and behaviour, and instead turn to a much broader and ethically richer vision of human behaviour based on prudence

Suggested Citation

  • Alasdair Marshall, 2016. "Pareto and the Missing Concept of Prudence," Il Pensiero Economico Italiano, Fabrizio Serra Editore, Pisa - Roma, vol. 24(2), pages 61-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:pei:journl:v:24:y:2016:2:5:p:61-77
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pareto; Machiavelli; ‘mirror for princes’; prudence; phronesis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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