Social value in history of economic thought: mainly in Britain in the 19th century

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Economic doctrine/Economic thought
• Research Institution: Saitama University
• Principal Investigator: YANAGISAWA Tetsuya 埼玉大学, 人文社会科学研究科, 教授 (90239806)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 社会的価値 / 功利主義 / 低成長 / 家族 / 救貧法 / マルサス / シーニア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Economics is regarded as a study mainly focusing on material richness, economic growth or economic efficiency. This research revealed that most of the British classical political economists were concerned not only with economic value measured by money but also with social values such as leisure time and life stability. For example, according to Malthus, with ideal family formation low-growth economy could reduce labor and promote intellectual activity.

Free Research Field

経済思想

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は経済学確立期の問題関心に社会的価値という光を当てることで、経済学が追求しようとした課題を明らかにするものである。こうした作業を通じて、今日、経済学の限界として指摘される、経済成長至上主義や公共性の欠落といった問題の解明と、さらに社会的価値を復権させる可能性への手掛かりを与えるものと期待される。