Two Views on Social Stability

An Unsettled Question

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2801451
AutoresJack Birner (University of Trento), Ragip Ege, Ragıp Ege (University of Trento)
Año1999
Volumen58
Número4
Páginas749-780
Fecha de publicación1999-10-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Economics and Sociology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-9246 • E-ISSN: 1536-7150
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1536-7150.1999.tb03393.x
OpenAlexW2152076566
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas19

Emil Durkheim published The Division of Labour in Society as part of his strategy to create a place for sociology as a science independent from economics. The book describes how social cohesion and cooperation evolve spontaneously in the course of the process of the division of labour. Friedrich Hayek developed a theory of markets and competition which was later extended into a theory of society, in which spontaneous evolution is a central element. The main force behind this process is competition and the evolution of coordination. Both authors address the problem of social stability. Hayek rejects Durkheim's analysis as constructivistic, but his criticism is unjustified. Further analysis reveals many similarities between the two authors theories of societal evolution. A striking point of convergence is that Hayek's theory of markets is a network theory, and that sociological network theory is directly inspired by Durkheim's work. The main differences are Hayek's emphasis on the division of knowledge and on coordination as the fundamental stabilising forces as opposed to Durkheim's stress on the division of labour and cooperation. The network approach, together with an elaboration of Hayek's psychology, offer perspectives for integrating coordination and cooperation into a unified theory of social stability

Epistemology · Sociology · Business Strategy and Innovation · Economic theories and models · Economic Theory and Institutions · Philosophy