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Economic Origins Of Witch Hunting

Author

Listed:
  • SHMAKOV Aleksandr

    (Novosibirsk State Technical University, Business Faculty, Russia)

  • PETROV Sergey

    (Novosibirsk State Technical University, Business Faculty, Russia)

Abstract

A number of events taking place in the twenty-first century such as mass arrests of members of the Iran President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad’s executive office accused of witchcraft make one doubt that witch hunt trials remained in the far Middle Ages. It is religious motives that are usually considered the main reason for anti-witchcraft hysteria. When analyzing the history of anti-witchcraft campaigns we came to the conclusion that in the majority of cases witchcraft was a planned action aimed at consolidating the state power and acquiring additional sources of revenue. By using economic instruments we tried to reveal some general regularities of witch hunt in various countries as well as conditions for this institution to emerge and for ensuring its stability by the state power. We show that witch hunt was an instrument of implementing institutional transformations aimed to consolidate the political power or to forfeit wealth by the state power.

Suggested Citation

  • SHMAKOV Aleksandr & PETROV Sergey, 2018. "Economic Origins Of Witch Hunting," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 13(3), pages 214-229, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:blg:journl:v:13:y:2018:i:3:p:214-229
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    File URL: http://eccsf.ulbsibiu.ro/RePEc/blg/journl/13314shmakov.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vidal-Robert, Jordi, 2014. "Long-run effects of the Spanish Inquisition," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 192, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
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