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Sympathy, evolution, and The Economist

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  • Levy, David M.
  • Peart, Sandra J.

Abstract

Why did the classical economists' doctrine of innate human sociability and the problem of factions disappear? The social Darwinists who clustered around The Economist regarded sympathy, the social glue of small groups, as an impediment to racial perfection that allowed the "unfit" to survive. Classical political economists responded to the problem of factions by proposing that sympathetic concerns be extended to those outside the faction. Social Darwinists advocated narrowing sympathetic concerns. Although social Darwinism faded, sympathy was not returned to its early prominence and economists lost the ability to explain small group formation and the tyranny of the minority.

Suggested Citation

  • Levy, David M. & Peart, Sandra J., 2009. "Sympathy, evolution, and The Economist," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 29-36, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:71:y:2009:i:1:p:29-36
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frank H. Knight, 1922. "Ethics and the Economic Interpretation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 36(3), pages 454-481.
    2. David Levy & Sandra Peart, 2006. "Charles Kingsley and the Theological Interpretation of Natural Selection," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 197-218, December.
    3. Peart, Sandra J. & Levy, David M., 2008. "Darwin's unpublished letter at the Bradlaugh-Besant trial: A question of divided expert judgment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 343-353, June.
    4. Knight, Frank H., 1922. "Ethics and the Economic Interpretation," History of Economic Thought Articles, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, vol. 36, pages 454-481, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrés Álvarez & Jimena Hurtado, 2012. "Out of sight, out of mind: Modern economics, social interactions, and Smith´s sympathy," Documentos CEDE 9312, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    2. Robert Garnett, 2011. "Schools of Thought in the Republic of Social Science," Working Papers 201108, Texas Christian University, Department of Economics.

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