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The Analysis Of Motives On Economic Man's Action

Posted on:2009-05-04Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:S Y MaFull Text:PDF
GTID:1119360272472503Subject:History of Economic Thought
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The assumption on economic man is very important to economic theory. Three characteristics which are self-interest altruism and maximization describe the economic man. Self-interest becomes effective tool to analyze economic questions and reveal economic phenomena, after Adam Smith has founded the historical status of economic man in economic history. In fact, as an economic assumption, seeking maximization although can't become the best approximation for people's action, it provides an adequate exploration for economic action. Altruism is such a definition which is set against self-interest and weakens the revenue of self-interest. Although economic man has received such criticism since it was set up, a lot of economic schools still support the views about the economic man's three characteristics. In recent years, the researches on altruism become much, at the same time, people begin to criticize the assumption of economic man. They think it can't explain scientifically some interesting economic connections. Self-interest can't give an effective explanation for altruism, so economic man receives strong criticism.There are 5 parts in the articles. They are as follows:Part one mainly sets the foundation for the economic man. It includes the background and importance of economic man. In the section, it provides some argues and criticism from economic man which includes some challenges. At the same time, in order to clear the views, it gives some important definitions and brief construction about the article.Part two is the first chapter. It mainly gives a brief theory conclusion. If we want to get the exact explanation for the self-interest and altruism of economic man, we must give a research on the object about economics. Economics is a special branch, because it can hold different views at the same time. Different schools show different definitions and explanation. After analyzing, we can get such a conclusion: the object of economics is the people' action. The self-interest and altruism of economic man are the emphasis. In addition, it gives a developing thread of thought about economic man, including before Adam Smith, Adam Smith, Classic School, Historical School, Marginal School, Neotectonic School and Behavior School. According to different objects, they founded different theories of economic man.In chapter two, the primary intention is to theoretically analyze the origin of Marxism's economic man and gives an exploration for Marxism's economic man. It is also a controversy. Marxism brings a funeral bell for capitalist class. Marx was viewed as the enemy of capitalist class, however, Marxism was accepted as the Holy Bible of proletariat in the east. Although economic man was born from economics of capitalist class, which has huge difference with Marxism, Marx put forward scientific theory to economic man. Based on it, we can explain several more puzzled topics: if economic man exists in primitive society,communist society and planned economy period. All those will be a scientific identification to Maxism.In chapter three we will give a try to reveal the relations between self-interest and altruism by researching the definitions and expand the meaning of self-interest. Each school of economics is in order to support one's own theoretical system, put forward different theories about economic man. Especially in recent years, with the rapid development of behavioral economics, altruism becomes the new focus of economics research. The development of altruism theory is becoming better and approaching perfection day by day. Compared with this, the research for self-interest seems relatively cold, but the research for self-interest is not becoming perfect at this moment. The research for the intension of self-interest returns a blank. This chapter tries to divide self-interest behavior into seven kinds of forms and put forward an index that can reflect the social welfare level—The welfare radiates the index. The index can comparatively reflect the contribution to the social welfare level of the size of self-interest and altruism clearly, in addition, also further analyze self-interest and altruism that he play game.Chapter four is to the summary of the basic content of the article, and has done the brief illustration to the problem that still needed to further study. The main content includes: First, at different stages for development of economics, the research object of economics has nothing in common with each other. It accords with the special properties of this discipline of economics to choose to carry on research to the person in the economic life. Second, it will carry on overall exploration for economic man of Smith and Marx. It will find that it is unsuitable to use theories of economic man in the primitive society and communist society. At the same time, we'll find that economic man in planned economy is special. Third, we'll go on an all-round way to research the intension of economic man, and give an actual relation between self-interest and altruism. Fourth, applying these views we can announce some economic questions and true essence of the economic phenomenon. It can strengthen the ability that economic man explains practice. The article puts forward the problem that should be further studied: The welfare radiation index put forward in the research of chapter three further needs technicalization; the play game between self-interest and altruism needs to be further at the same time.In the article we will give some exploration:First, we'll make some new research for object of economics. Second, we'll draw a conclusion: what's the economic man of Marx. Third, the research to the intention of self-interest has given a new try. Fourth, the research for the relation between self-interest and altruism has opened up a brand-new thinking. Fifth, we will break through the separation between individualism methodology and wholism methodology on the research approach and combine the two in studying effectively. At the same time we have abandoned the artificial view used on methodology. Sixth, we propose the welfare radiation index according to the relation between self-interest and altruism. It proves that the self-interest action will gradually be weakened with the reduction of individual and material relation and material self-interest will make way for spiritual self-interest. It will set up a magnificent spiritual mansion on the aspect of material about people's economic behavior motive, and this mansion will become the mainstream. It also will become the mainstream of development of economic theory.
Keywords/Search Tags:Economic man, Motions, Self-interest, Altruism
PDF Full Text Request
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