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Real-World Economics Review

Game theorists — people carried away by fictions

from Lars Syll Applied game theory is a theory of real-world facts, where we use game theoretical definitions, axioms, theorems and (try to) test if real-world phenomena ‘satisfy’ the axioms and the inferences made from them. When confronted with the real world we can (hopefully) judge if game theory really tells us if things are as postulated by theory. But there is also an influential group of game theoreticians that think that game theory is nothing but pure theory, an...

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So much for “conservative” economics and economists.

from Ken Zimmerman In 1771 a former barber and wig maker, Richard Arkwright, opened the world’s first water-powered spinning mill at Cromford in Derbyshire. He employed 600 workers, mainly children, who could do the work of ten times that number of hand spinners. In 1775 a Scottish mathematical instrument maker, James Watt, joined forces with the Birmingham engineer Matthew Boulton to produce steam engines which could turn machinery, haul enormous loads and, eventually, propel ships and...

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Differential inflation and full enclosure

from Ikonoclast After reading “Capital as Power” by Bichler and Nitzan, where they talk about differential accumulation, a key and salient point about our economy appears to me to be a regime of differential inflation. Clearly, differential inflation can enable differential accumulation. Economists often talk about economies as if one average inflation rate affects the entire economy. This does not seem to me to capture the situation at all. The modern (neoliberal / monetarist) economy is...

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What can we learn from economic models?

from Lars Syll Some economic methodologists have lately been arguing that economic models may well be considered ‘minimal models’ that portray ‘credible worlds’ without having to care about things like similarity, isomorphism, simplified representationality or resemblance to the real world. These models are said to resemble ‘realistic novels’ that portray ‘possible worlds’. And sure: economists constructing and working with that kind of models learn things about what might happen in those...

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The master plan described by economist James Buchanan

from Ken Zimmerman Oligarchy is an old form for economic and political organization. It was invented long before the invention of capitalism. From about 1500 forward all western nations have been organized as oligarchies politically and economically. All modern capitalist nations today are democratic oligarchies. That means in many areas of life pluralities of citizens, or even populist demands make the decisions about major areas of concern. But oligarchies attempt to protect their...

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The central message of MMT

from Asad Zaman The central message of MMT is that once the illusion of gold is removed from the picture, money is valued because everybody has confidence in it. This confidence can be safely created by sovereign authority. The King, or the state, can create any amount of money, without limits. There is no issue of sustainability of deficit. Creation of money has powerful effects on the economy, and printing too much money would definitely cause inflation, so it would never be advisable...

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The constant production of scarcity

from Jason Hickel We can also see the logic of artificial scarcity at work in the realm of consumption. Industrialists who fear that people’s existing needs are too limited to absorb capitalism’s immense productive output must seek to create new needs, or else the juggernaut will grind to a halt. This is accomplished by various means. One is to expand desires through sophisticated advertising campaigns – and to extend these campaigns into all public and private spaces – manipulating...

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GOING DIGITAL. The next WEA Conference

from Maria Alejandra Madi                   GOING DIGITAL conference site The advent of digital economy creates new challenges for businesses, workers, and policymakers. Moreover, business prospects for artificial intelligence and machine learning are evolving quickly. These technologies have transforming implications for all industries, businesses of all sizes, and societies. The digitalization of economic activities calls for a deep reflection on the forces that will shape the future of...

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The explanation paradox in economics

from Lars Syll Hotelling’s model, then, is false in all relevant senses … And yet, it is considered explanatory. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, it feels explanatory. If we have not thought much about Hotelling’s kind of cases, it seems that we have genuinely learned something. We begin to see Hotelling situations all over the place. Why do electronics shops in London concentrate in Tottenham Court Road and music shops in Denmark Street? Why do art galleries in Paris cluster...

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New theory must be prepared against the day when new theory will be accepted

from Ikonoclast “If we choose to continue to produce with the techniques we have developed, then our society and earth will disappear faster than if we introduce small-scale production, resource-saving technologies and limited consumption.” – Lars Syll. Correct! The hubris, arrogance and blindness of the neoclassical or neoliberal economic view is well exemplified by the anecdote about the member of the Nobel prize committee. The blindness of the modern conventional economic view is...

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