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The evolution of private governance: Neither anarchism nor Statism

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  • Larry Arnhart

    (Northern Illinois University)

Abstract

I read E. P. Stringham’s book on private governance against the background of Morris Hoffman’s account of the evolution of legal punishment. This allows us to see how the evolution of private governance moves through three levels of punishment: the first-party punishment of conscience and guilt, the second-party punishment of retaliation and revenge, and the third-party punishment of retribution. This suggests that neither pure anarchism nor pure statism is possible, because every social order shows some form of governance, and no authoritarian state can ever hold an absolute monopoly on governance to the exclusion of private governance. One can also see that liberal states leave lots of room for private governance, which allows for adaptive flexibility in solving public problems in ways that promote peace and prosperity.

Suggested Citation

  • Larry Arnhart, 2018. "The evolution of private governance: Neither anarchism nor Statism," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 31(2), pages 257-264, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:revaec:v:31:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s11138-017-0386-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11138-017-0386-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stringham, Edward Peter, 2015. "Private Governance: Creating Order in Economic and Social Life," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199365166.
    2. Larry Arnhart, 2015. "The evolution of Darwinian liberalism," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 3-15, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anarchism; Evolution; F. A. Hayek; Law; Governance; Edward Peter Stringham;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B53 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Austrian
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • H1 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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