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The impact of the concepts of human nature
on the goal and field
of humanistic economics &
religious motivated streams of economics
(Buddhist, Islam and Christian)
Anna Horodecka, PhD
Warsaw School of Economics, Poland
(Grant NCN: UMO-2011/03/D/HS4/00849
[email protected]
First World Congress of Comparative Economics
Rome Tre University, Rome, June 25-27)
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Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the goal of economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the field of
economics
6. Conclusion
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Introduction
• The goal
• to demonstrate the impact of assumptions we make about the human
nature on the way the humanistic school of economics and religious
motivated economic schools understand its fundaments: goal and field.
• The method
• a content analysis of crucial works representing the humanistic economics.
• Topic (limitation)
• The religious motivated schools of economics: Christian, Islam and
Buddhist
• Model of analysis of the concepts of human nature (CHN)
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Concept of human nature - model
Dimensions
Mind
Levels
Worldview
(Sense)
Soul
(Motivation)
Social world
Body
(Behavior)
Individual
world
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1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the goal of economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the field of
economics
6. Conclusion
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2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
Humanistic economics?
Religious motivated economics
– Narrow: Humanistic
psychology (Maslow, Rogers)
– Buddhist (Schumacher,
Payutto)
– Wide: humanistic tradition in
– Christian (eg. Catholic Social
the philosophy and religion
Teaching, Protestant Ethics)
(human is in the center of
considerations)
SOCIAL ECONOMICS < HETERODOX ECONOMICS
– Islamic (Kushid Ahmad,
Waterbury, Gian Maria
Piccinelli)
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a) Characteristic of the CHN in humanistic tradition
• critique of homo economicus (neoclassical rationality concept, the
domination of egoism, lack of values) on following levels
– normative (negative impact on real actors),
– positive (explanative power of model based on such assumptions),
– descriptive (discrepancy with the reality)
• suggesting to be replaced by the model considering more
following aspects
– Complexity of human nature (other levels and dimensions): Values, ethical aspects,
the role of natural environment
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b) CHN – detailed view (WORLDVIEW)
• Anthropocentric view on world: a person is in the centre of the
world, the world is his reflection
• evolution of society and culture
• harmony with God (prayer), people (fasting as in selfrestriction ability) and nature is important
• task of the world is to support the development of human
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c) CHN – detailed view (SOCIAL WORLD)
• Respect, acceptance, equal rights, altruism
• The role of religious community (Ecclesia, Ummah, Sangha)
and the active participation in the community the individual
exists
• The role of responsibility for others, helping others: alms,
zakat and pilgrimage
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d) CHN – detailed view (INDIVIDUAL WORLD)
• Body
– Positive way, but there is no absolutisation of this level; perceived in dependence of
other levels
– Subordinated to the higher instances like soul and mind (Buddhist: to right motivation;
Christian: love of neighbors and self; Islam: rules of Qur’an)
• Soul
– Values & needs hierarchically ordered (altruistic, social, self-vs. mutual-interest; truth,
fairness; right motivation)
– Basic value: life [see: World Parliament ]
• Sense
– Self-realization; self –transcendence; place of putting values in order;
– Role of education in order to decide right and being able to behave according to it
(ethics; in religions: consciousness; Gods rules)
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e) World Parliament of Religions
• Values are no more a matter of private preferences but a matter of survival
of societies
• Basic elements of a common ethos:
– The principle of humanity
– The Golden Rule of reciprocity
– Commitment to non-violence, justice, truthfulness, and the partnership of man and woman
• Ensured by:
–
–
–
–
Dialogue of religions and cultures (knowledge of similarities)
Cross-cultural values education
Ethical and intercultural competence in business enterprises
International policy cooperation and integration instead of military confrontation
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1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the goal of economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the field of
economics
6. Conclusion
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3. The CHN in the humanistic economics: worldview
Humanistic
In the center of
the world there
is a human
being
Buddhist
The relation
towards the
nature has to
be marked by
compassion,
karma is
providing here
further
motivation
Islam
Christian
Judaism
 Human being is a crown of the creations,
although is made from the clay.
 The Nature is subordinated to the human
being but has to be respected
 Moral order has to be kept, which roots in
God’s Word and can be found respectively in
Torah, Bible (Old and New Testament) and
Qur’an
 Ecological conscience has its roots in the Bible,
but is motivated socially, it was developed
much later, since the ecological problems
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emerged
3. The CHN in the humanistic economics: social world
Humanistic
Altruism,
solidarity with
the humanity
Buddhist
Responsibility,
compassion
for/towards
other, sangha
(community)
Islam
Solidarity,
zakah, riba,
pilgrimage,
common
prayers, umma
Christian
Solidarity,
alms,
pilgrimage,
prayers, church
(ecclesia)
Mutual help within and outside the community
Judaism
Solidarity, care
for the poor,
common
prayers and
synagogue (the
chosen nation
differentiated
from goim)
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3. The CHN in the humanistic economics: individual world
Humanistic Buddhist
Islam
Christian
Judaism
Body
(material
sphere)
Basic needs,
not: wants
Subordinated to
higher levels,
especially mind
Submission of all deeds to the Law of God (Quran, Bible,
Torah), and to the two higher levels like soul/mind
Soul
(Motives,
Feelings)
Diverse
motives,
values, dualself
Diverse drives
Human being has good and bad drives, which are differently
explained in those religions; common is the view that human
being can freely choose among those drives; there is a
tendency to Goodness, due to fitrah (in Islam), to the heart
(‘lew’ in Judaism), or the soul as place of conscience, which
enables the right choice
Mind
(moral
sphere)
Ethical mind
Mind and practice of
Eightfold Path in
order to overcome
the Nature
Conscience and Law (Bible, Quran, Torah) are helpful in order
to be able to choose in a right way. The education of moral law
and daily practice are considered as important for taking the
right decisions. The mind can be perceived as the combination
between the knowledge (of particular moral law) and the
conscience, interrelated
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1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the GOAL of
economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the field of
economics
6. Conclusion
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4. The impact of CHN on the GOAL of economics
• Humanistic/Religious CHN – self-transcendence (material, social needs,
environment, development) – challenges towards the economic system
• Efficient use of resources is important but not on the first place,
economic goals are subordinated to social and ethical ones
• Economic growth replaced by idea of human wellbeing (individual and
society): focus on needs perceived in form of hierarchy,
interdisciplinarity, multilevel, social development, sustainability,
just/fair distribution
• Freedom (positive/negative) aspects (skepticism towards a free market)
• Economic system, which supports such goals
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Parallels: Social economics & CSR
SASE goals: (socioeconomics association)
1. to advance the understanding of economic behavior across a
broad range of academic disciplines;
2. to support the intellectual exploration of economic behavior and
its policy implications within the context of societal, institutional,
historical, philosophical, psychological, and ethical factors; and
3. to balance inductive and deductive approaches to the study of
economic behavior at both micro and macro levels of analysis.
CSR – ethical approach
(1) normative stakeholder theory, (2) universal rights (3) sustainable
development; (4) common good approach, see: Garriga, Mele 2004
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4.1 Buddhist economics
• Individual goal: freedom of sorrow
• Gandhian economics: humanistic order, non-violence, freedom of
exploitation, spiritual/moral order, dependency on social/natural world
• Consequence of CHN: socially/culturally embedded, motivated by
higher goals, ethical, altruistic, oriented on cooperation, respectful
towards life and nature
• Instead of GDP  HNP
• Consumption: not max, but moderate, toward non-material, societal
assessment
• Goals are not only end-states but processes, integration of common
goals into an economic analysis
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4.2 Catholic Social Teaching
• Dignity of human being, who is creator, goal, and center of
economic life (Gaudium and Spes)
• Production factors: Capital and nature subordinated to the
human being, but: a shift towards treating nature more
equally like ‘sister’ (Laudato si)
• Economic system: Freedom from + towards – ‘no’ for
neoliberal system, looking for other system – growing
social/environmental concern
• Employment: Work is not exchange from freedom for income –
source of self-development/participation in creation
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4.3 Islam Economics
• CHN – Moslem (his self-interest is constrained by Shariah, and a
motivation derived from the belief in Hereafter)
• Economic system: not only the outcome, but the way – following
shariat
• Goals derived from definition of IE: enabling humans to perform
obligations toward Allah + providing falah (satisfaction, success,
well-being): soul, body, external goals [ie. wealth], grace
• Social justice, elimination of poverty, reduction of income
inequalities, freedom of corruption, zakah, no-interest, no-debt,
ecological issues, just social order, covering needs of all (adequacy)
• Meta-goal: seeking pleasure of Allah
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1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the GOAL of
economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the FIELD of
economics
6. Conclusion
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5. The impact of CHN on the FIELD of economics
• Wider, interdisciplinary (because of complex CHN)
• Socio-economics (cooperation economics-society; ASE: ethics, social values, social justice)
– what economic conditions are requisite for a good society and how can they be
achieved;
– how do social and moral values influence economic behavior;
– how does social interaction affect economic outcomes;
– what are the ethical implications of economic theory and policy;
– how do different social institutions contribute to a sustainable, just, and efficient
economy
• Production (but: purpose, effects on the society, moral components) [Human - not just
labor force, Land - much more],
• Institutions, culture, values, ethics, social relations
• Intrinsic value of Work
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• Socio-economic development
5.1 Buddhist economics
• Field must be wider: values, motivation in order to understand
the reasons for economic problems
• Livelihood – work not only economic outcome, but means,
process and social context
• Economic, social, political system (shift from share-towards
stakeholder), ownership, global order, return to localities
• Integration of economics with spiritual, moral, natural
dimension, reveling concern for social, economic and political
issues
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5.2 Catholic Social Teaching
• Good/Bad – criteria (ethical principles; economic ethics instrument to evaluate bahvaiour, structure, institutions and
their impact)
• Human dignity, human as part of a particular community
• Issues:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Ownership
Work
Exchange (commerce ethics)
Saving and consumption
Social distribution
International economics
Natural environment
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5.3 Islam Economics
• Micro-level: human behavior and its motives, viewed in the
light of Quran; human being has good and bad inclinations,
therefore the good ones have to be encouraged by economic
system, values, rationality, optimality
• Macro-level has encourage good sides in human being - like
ecological issues, the question of distribution of income,
poverty elimination; income distribution; consumer behavior;
fiscal policy and socio-economic development in the context of
a just monetary and economic system)
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1. Introduction
2. Humanistic economics and religious motivated streams of
economics (Buddhist, Islam and Christian) - setting
3. The concept of human nature in the humanistic economics
4. The impact of concept of human nature on the GOAL of
economics
5. The impact of the concept of human nature on the field of
economics
6. Conclusion
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6. Conclusion
• CHN in the humanist economists and in the religious motivated streams
of economics  goal, field of economics
• common aspects of the CHN: social and cultural embedding of the
person; ethical or/and religious principles, person - able for good and
bad, with the inclination to choose the good; the society, and social and
economic system can and should support the individual; normative
view on economics
• Goals: human wellbeing (not only material, social and ethical), social
justice, covering real needs of the persons and the society, ecological
issues, and support for the moral behavior of individuals.
• Field: wider, and encompasses far more issues, than standard
economics, greater concern about the economic system.
Interdisciplinarity: ethical, social, cultural issues.
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…..any questions?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
[email protected]
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