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From Polytheism to Monotheism: Zoroaster and Some Economic Theory

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  • Mario Ferrero

    (University of Eastern Piedmont)

Abstract

The prophet Zoroaster founded the first monotheistic religion in history, which once rose to great imperial status and still survives unchanged today despite centuries of Muslim pressure. Unlike the founders of other monotheistic religions after him, he achieved this not through the overthrow of the original Iranian polytheism but through its deep reform—a strategy that made acceptance easier and ensured a continuing role for the priests. Monotheistic reform is thus a third way out of ancient Indo-European polytheism, besides extinction in the Greco-Roman case and mutation into sectarian theism in the Indian case. This paper surveys the Iranian story and offers two economic models to account for the two key factors that made the transition to monotheism possible: the theological structure and the role of the priesthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Ferrero, 2021. "From Polytheism to Monotheism: Zoroaster and Some Economic Theory," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 77-108, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:homoec:v:38:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s41412-021-00113-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s41412-021-00113-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Meade, James E, 1972. "The Theory of Labour-Managed Firms and of Profit Sharing," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 82(325), pages 402-428, Supplemen.
    2. Sriya Iyer, 2016. "The New Economics of Religion," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 54(2), pages 395-441, June.
    3. Mario Ferrero, 2014. "From Jesus to Christianity: The economics of sacrifice," Rationality and Society, , vol. 26(4), pages 397-424, November.
    4. Iannaccone, Laurence R, 1992. "Sacrifice and Stigma: Reducing Free-Riding in Cults, Communes, and Other Collectives," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(2), pages 271-291, April.
    5. Atin Basuchoudhary & Mario Ferrero & Timothy Lubin, 2020. "The Political Economy of Polytheism: the Indian Versus the Greco-Roman Religions," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 183-211, December.
    6. Mario Ferrero, 2016. "Jesus and the Ratchet," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 173-195, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Iranian religion; Zoroaster; Polytheism; Monotheism; Priests; Economics of religion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations

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