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Who is the Narrator of the Fable of the Individuality in Political Economy: Mandeville or Smith?

Author

Listed:
  • Eren, Ahmet Arif

    (Artvin Çoruh University, Department of Economics, Artvin, Turkey)

  • Bozkurt, Ahmet Deniz

    (Gazi University, Department of Economics, Ankara, Turkey)

Abstract

In this study, the historical roots of individuality will be examined. According to the view of economic individuality, pursuit of self-interest is the fundamental motivation for all of human beings. When we look into the eighteenth century, the main argument was whether the rise of the commercial society erosions the moral values or not. This argument was especially discussed by the philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment. This subject was most throughly discussed by Adam Smith who finds a solution which is very important and also debatable to date. This solution actually created a problem which is called the Adam Smith problem. Smith, thanks to his approaches to this subject, became the creator of the individual of political economy. And this creates a situation in which his two important books namely Wealth of Nations and Theory of Moral Sentiments are not considered totally. In this context Theory of Moral Sentiments has been ignored and Smith’s individual is narrowed to an individual prototype which economics needs. In this study the adventure of the creation of the prototype, which has mentioned above, and the contributions of Adam Smith and Bernard Mandeville will be evaluated both with their agreements and contradictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Eren, Ahmet Arif & Bozkurt, Ahmet Deniz, 2013. "Who is the Narrator of the Fable of the Individuality in Political Economy: Mandeville or Smith?," EY International Congress on Economics I (EYC2013), October 24-25, 2013, Ankara, Turkey 299, Ekonomik Yaklasim Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:eyd:cp2013:299
    Note: [English Title] Ekonomi Politikte Bireycilik Masalının Anlatıcısı Kim: Mandeville Mi Smith Mi? [English Abstract] Bu çalışmada bireyciliğin tarihsel kökenleri incelenecektir. İktisadi bireycilik görüşüne göre, kişisel çıkar peşinde koşmak insanoğlunun temel güdüsüdür. 18. Yüzyıla baktığımızda, temel tartışma konusunun ticari toplumun ahlaki değerlerde bir çözünmeye yol açıp açmadığıdır. Bu tartışma, özellikle İskoç Aydınlanması filozofları tarafından yürütülmüştür. Bu konu, en kapsamlı bir şekilde Adam Smith tarafından ele alınmış ve buna bulduğu önemli çözüm günümüze değin tartışıla gelmiştir. Bu çözüm, gerçekten de Adam Smith problemi olarak isimlendirilen bir sorun ortaya çıkarmıştır. Smith, bu konuya ilişkin görüşleri sayesinde ekonomi politğin bireyinin yaratıcısı olmuştur ve bu Ulusların Zenginliği ve Ahlaki Duygular Kuramı isimli iki önemli kitabının bütünlüğü içinde ele alınmaması gibi bir durum yaratır. Bu bağlamda Ahlaki Duygular Kuramı ihmal edilmiş ve Smith’in bireyi iktisadın ihtiyaç duyduğu bir birey tiplemesine hapsedilmiştir. Bu çalışmada, yukarıda belirtilen birey tiplemesinin yaratılma serüveni ve bu konuya ilişkin Adam Smith ve Bernard de Mandeville’in katkıları, uzlaşıları ve karşıtlıkları bağlamında değerlendirilecektir. [English Keywords] Bireycilik, İskoç Aydınlanması, Adam Smith sorunu, Mandeville.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Individuality; Scottish Enlightenment; Adam Smith Problem; Mandeville;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B11 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Preclassical (Ancient, Medieval, Mercantilist, Physiocratic)
    • B12 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Classical (includes Adam Smith)
    • B30 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - General
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals

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