Crusoe’s Kingdom: Cost, Choice and Political Economy

Wiseman, Jack; Littlechild, Stephen

doi:10.1007/978-1-349-08097-7_7

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…However, even if the basis of management decision making in our model were expanded, uncertainty about attractors will remain. In a world where creative human choice is a constant source of an unknowable future (Wiseman 1989, Buchanan and Vanberg 1994, Massey 1999) and unforeseeable ecological perturbation is common (Holling 1996), the concept of stable equilibrium in a social-ecological context seems purely theoretical.…”

Section: Social-ecological System Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Roy¹,

Martin²,

Irwin³

et al. 2010

E&S

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Together, lake ecosystems and local human activity form complex social-ecological systems (SESs) characterized by feedback loops and discontinuous change. Researchers in diverse fields have suggested that complex systems do not have single stable equilibria in the long term because of inevitable perturbation. During this study, we sought to address the general question of whether or not stable socialecological equilibria exist in highly stressed and managed lacustrine systems. Using an integrated humanbiophysical model, we investigated the impacts of a species invasion and ecosystem restoration on SES equilibrium, defined here as a compromise in phosphorus management among opposing stakeholders, in western Lake Erie. Our integrated model is composed of a calibrated ecological submodel representing Sandusky Bay, and a phosphorus management submodel that reflects the societal benefits and costs of phosphorus regulation. These two submodels together form a dynamic feedback loop that includes freshwater ecology, ecosystem services, and phosphorus management. We found that the invasion of dreissenid mussels decreased ecosystem resistance to eutrophication, necessitating increased phosphorus management to preserve ecosystem services and thus creating the potential for a shift in social-ecological equilibrium. Additionally, our results suggest that net benefits in the region following the invasion of dreissenids may never again reach the pre-invasion level if on-site phosphorus control is the sole management lever. Further demonstrating transient system stability, large-scale wetland restoration shifted points of management compromise to states characterized by less on-site phosphorus management and higher environmental quality, resulting in a significant increase in net benefits in the region. We conclude that lacustrine SESs are open and dynamic, and we recommend that future models of these systems emphasize site-specific perturbation over equilibrium, thereby aiding the development of management plans for building system resistance to undesirable change that are both flexible and sustainable in an unknowable future.Ecology and Society 15(1): 20

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Section: Social-ecological System Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Roy¹,

Martin²,

Irwin³

et al. 2010

E&S

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“…I have drawn attention to the intellectual shortenings of neo-classical economics in a number of earlier papers (Wiseman 1989). Here, I shall simply summarize the major deficiencies of importance in the present context.…”

Section: Neo-classical Economics: a Summary Critiquementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first type of criticism has been developed elsewhere by myself and others (Wiseman 1989). Colleagues at both institutions also provided valuable advice and comment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principles of political economy

Wiseman

1990

Constit Polit Econ

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As a guide to efficient social organization, neo-classical economics is deficient in two major ways. First, it uses simplifying assumptions about the decision-environment which destroy its possible relevance to an understanding of decision situations in the real world: notably in its inability to embrace the unknowability of the future and the subjectivity of human decisions. Second, it specifies the nature of policy-relevant choice in too restrictive a fashion to explain the major (constitutional and political) choice-situations inherent in any system of social organization.A more satisfactory intellectual construct can be derived from a political economypublic choice model. This follows broadly the contractarian-liberal model developed notably by Buchanan and Brennan, but envisages a much more thoroughgoing rejection of neo-classical (Paretian) concepts.The new political economy would identify efficiency with the ability of the citizen to constrain government-as-Leviathan in a context of multi-level choice. The opportunitycost situation of citizens-as-choosers is specified by reference to their ongoing possibilities of using voice to change unsatisfactory institutional constraints or exit to escape their consequences.The model is used to appraise the constitutional characteristics of fiscal federalism.

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“…If there were no division of labour, but each individual were completely self-sufficient, then coordination problems would be strictly personal. Each individual would still have to coordinate a sequence of activities in the light of highly imperfect knowledge, as Wiseman and Littlechild (1990) entertainingly demonstrate in their analysis of Crusoe's Kingdom; but there would be no economics as a social science. Why, then, do we create so many difficulties for ourselves, from incurring entirely avoidable transaction costs to large-scale unemployment, which could be avoided by self-sufficiency?…”

Section: The Insufficiency Of Reasonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post Keynesian Econometrics, Microeconomics and the Theory of the Firm

Dow¹,

Hillard²

2002

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in 1996 under the auspices of the Post Keynesian Economics Study Group. They are the fourth and fifth in the series published by Edward Elgar for the Study Group. The essays in these volumes bear witness to the vitality and importance of Post Keynesian Economics in understanding the workings of the economy, both at the macroeconomic and the microeconomic level. Not only do these chapters demonstrate important shortcomings in the orthodox approach, but they also set out some challenging alternative approaches that promise to lead to a greater understanding of the operation of the market mechanism. The papers make important contributions to issues ranging from the philosophical and methodological foundations of economics to policy and performance. The Post Keynesian Study Group was established in 1988 with a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council and has flourished ever since. At present (2002), there are four meetings a year hosted by a number of 'old' and 'new' universities throughout Great Britain. These are afternoon sessions at which three or four papers are presented and provide a welcome opportunity for those working in the field to meet and discuss ideas, some of which are more or less complete, others of which are at a more early stage of preparation. Larger conferences, such as the one from which these two volumes are derived, are also held from time to time, including a conference specifically for postgraduates. There are presently over five hundred members who receive the Post Keynesian Study Group electronic newsletter and details of seminars. The Study Group has established a number of international links. As the present convenor of the Post Keynesian Study Group, I should like to thank Sheila Dow and John Hillard for the not inconsiderable time and effort they have spent in editing the proceedings and making these important papers available to a wider audience.

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Crusoe’s Kingdom: Cost, Choice and Political Economy

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Principles of political economy

Post Keynesian Econometrics, Microeconomics and the Theory of the Firm

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Crusoe’s Kingdom: Cost, Choice and Political Economy

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Transient Social&#8211;Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Transient Social&#8211;Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Principles of political economy

Post Keynesian Econometrics, Microeconomics and the Theory of the Firm

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie

Transient Social–Ecological Stability: the Effects of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Restoration on Nutrient Management Compromise in Lake Erie