Paul D. Bush’s Theory of Institutional Change Revisited

This paper addresses a formal issue existing in Paul D. Bush’s theory of institutional change, namely the omission of the two behavioral patterns Bci–Vc–Bc (C-0) and Bci–Vi–Bi (I-0). Firstly, we speculate on the reasons for this omission, suggesting that Bush might have been influenced by the common conceptual schemes in graph theory textbooks, which led him to overlook the “digraph” as the fundamental form of institutional structures and behavior patterns, and thus to ignore C-0 and I-0. Secondly, we demonstrate the impact on the formal structure of the theory of institutional change when C-0 and I-0 are included or excluded, respectively. By calculating the transitive closure of the possible joined network of behavioral patterns, this paper verifies that the absence of C-0 and I-0 will impose a formal condition: either the institution is composed of pure ceremonial behavioral patterns, or pure ceremonial behavior cannot occur during the process of institutional change, which leads to a teleological tendency. Finally, we further discuss the theoretical meanings of C-0 and I-0. We believe that they represent a fundamental form of semiosis and are the logical starting points for inquiry. Their indispensability in the formal model is precisely due to their theoretical meanings.