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Economics of the Sacramental Bread Ordeal in the Russian Princedoms Period

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  • Vladimir Vladimirovich Maltsev

    (Department of Economic Theory, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation 49 Leningradsky Prospekt, GSP-3, 125993 Moscow, Russia)

Abstract

The paper analyses the economics behind the ordeal by sacramental bread — a method of criminal dispute resolution in the Russian Princedoms period. Contributing to the framework advanced by Leeson (2011, 2012a, 2012b) [Trial by battle. Journal of Legal Analysis, 3(1), 341–375; An Austrian approach to law and economics, with special reference to superstition. The Review of Austrian Economics, 25(3), 185–198; Ordeals. The Journal of Law and Economics, 55(3), 691–714], this paper advances a hypothesis that the ordeal could have been designed as a ‘pressure valve’ to reduce scepticism in relation to other ordeals. To prove this, a model is constructed showing that when high scepticism causes fixed-outcome ordeals to become costly, the clergy could resort to creating an ordeal, the verdicts of which would not be argued against through a careful manipulation of its costs and benefits. In this ordeal, guilt was determined by the proband’s inability to swallow the bread due to stress and thus relied on a biological reaction instead of a predetermined outcome. Investigations showed that even if the ordeal delivered false verdicts, appealing the verdict was not beneficial to the proband. This was achieved by only employing the ordeal in resolution of petty theft, which made the potential losses from a false verdict very minimal. Further, the ordeal was staged as a confession, which reduced the possibility of a proband facing social ostracism.

Suggested Citation

  • Vladimir Vladimirovich Maltsev, 2020. "Economics of the Sacramental Bread Ordeal in the Russian Princedoms Period," Journal of Economics, Management and Religion (JEMAR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 1(02), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:jemarx:v:01:y:2020:i:02:n:s2737436x20500053
    DOI: 10.1142/S2737436X20500053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Posner, Richard A, 1980. "A Theory of Primitive Society, with Special Reference to Law," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 23(1), pages 1-53, April.
    2. Demsetz, Harold, 1988. "The Theory of the Firm Revisited," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 141-161, Spring.
    3. Peter Leeson, 2012. "An Austrian approach to law and economics, with special reference to superstition," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 25(3), pages 185-198, September.
    4. Peter T Leeson, 2014. "Oracles," Rationality and Society, , vol. 26(2), pages 141-169, May.
    5. North,Douglass C. & Wallis,John Joseph & Weingast,Barry R., 2013. "Violence and Social Orders," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107646995, November.
    6. Leeson,Peter T., 2014. "Anarchy Unbound," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107629707, November.
    7. Stringham, Edward Peter, 2015. "Private Governance: Creating Order in Economic and Social Life," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199365166.
    8. Peter T. Leeson, 2012. "Ordeals," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(3), pages 691-714.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gershman, Boris & Mumladze, Tinatin, 2024. "Headhunting and warfare in Austronesia: A phylogenetic comparative analysis," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 768-791.

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