Scarcity Concept in the contemporary mainstream economic science: an analysis of its ontological and epistemological ambiguity
Résumé
Different economic schools have studied the scarcity concept, reaching other
explanations. Accordingly, the discussion underlines that for the Classical School of
Political Economy (CSPE), scarcity is considered an empirical fact in contrast to the
Marginalist School, which instead finds it as a theoretical consequence derived from its
axioms. Following both schools, the Marshallian theorists introduce an ontological and
epistemological ambiguity about scarcity. With this background, the article will try to
clarify the concept and characteristics of scarcity. It examines the concept from different
schools of economic thought, considering a new ontological and epistemological path.
The article concludes by highlighting that the scarcity characteristics of mainstream
economics neglect the sociocultural, historical, and political dimensions, making the
consideration to abolish them through social, political, and economic changes a
problematic and, at times, vain option.
Domaines
Sciences de l'Homme et SociétéOrigine | Accord explicite pour ce dépôt |
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