“The Nature of Social Systems:
A Speculation”
David Harvey,School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development
University of Newcastle.Based on: “A conjecture on the nature of social systems”,
21st Century Society, Vol. 3, No. 1, 87 – 108, February 2008
“The Nature of Social Systems:
A Speculation”
David Harvey,School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development
University of Newcastle.Based on: “A conjecture on the nature of social systems”,
21st Century Society, Vol. 3, No. 1, 87 – 108, February 2008
The problem (1)The problem (1)Lack of coherence between social sciences:
“There remains a common theme for a science of human society, and that while much progress has been made in developing its various facets and aspects, it is still important to try and tie the parts together - not in search of a ‘world formula’ but to make sense of the social habitat in which we live, have lived and are likely to live”. (Dahrendof, 1995) “Postmodernism is the antithesis of the Anglo-American analytical thesis. Out of the resulting dialectical synthesis, however, an enriched new philosophy of science could emerge” (Tweeten & Zulaf, 1999)
Social Science must believe there to be underlying patterns (& hence systematics) to social behaviour - SO WHAT MIGHT THE SYNTHESIS OR COMMON THEME LOOK LIKE?
Lack of coherence between social sciences:
“There remains a common theme for a science of human society, and that while much progress has been made in developing its various facets and aspects, it is still important to try and tie the parts together - not in search of a ‘world formula’ but to make sense of the social habitat in which we live, have lived and are likely to live”. (Dahrendof, 1995) “Postmodernism is the antithesis of the Anglo-American analytical thesis. Out of the resulting dialectical synthesis, however, an enriched new philosophy of science could emerge” (Tweeten & Zulaf, 1999)
Social Science must believe there to be underlying patterns (& hence systematics) to social behaviour - SO WHAT MIGHT THE SYNTHESIS OR COMMON THEME LOOK LIKE?
The problem (2)The problem (2)
•What framework to conceptualise, and so analyse social systems?
• What, exactly, are our “institutions” (rules, codes and habits) & where do they come from?
• What, exactly, are our “negotiation & communications” systems?
• How might social science develop a language & story for genuine trade in ideas & concepts?
•What framework to conceptualise, and so analyse social systems?
• What, exactly, are our “institutions” (rules, codes and habits) & where do they come from?
• What, exactly, are our “negotiation & communications” systems?
• How might social science develop a language & story for genuine trade in ideas & concepts?
A ConjectureA Conjecture
• Social systems exist & evolve
• But, not as natural systems – our rules for survival & replication are endogenous
–> as our governance rules & institutions
Their principal raison d’etre is to: “select for and condition behaviour patterns and responses for best fit with the existing community socio-ecosystem, socio-political climate and socio-economic environment.”
• Social systems exist & evolve
• But, not as natural systems – our rules for survival & replication are endogenous
–> as our governance rules & institutions
Their principal raison d’etre is to: “select for and condition behaviour patterns and responses for best fit with the existing community socio-ecosystem, socio-political climate and socio-economic environment.”
A ConjectureA Conjecture
• Social Institutions evolve simply in the sense that the ‘best fitted’ survive, persist (replicate) at the expense of those which ‘don’t fit’
• So, should exhibit recognisable Phyla
• -> A taxonomy of social systems? As our extant Social Science disciplines (SSd)
• Otherwise, why are they so persistent?
• SSd represent the principal axes of the human condition, reflecting the major phyla of human interaction & communication patterns?
• Social Institutions evolve simply in the sense that the ‘best fitted’ survive, persist (replicate) at the expense of those which ‘don’t fit’
• So, should exhibit recognisable Phyla
• -> A taxonomy of social systems? As our extant Social Science disciplines (SSd)
• Otherwise, why are they so persistent?
• SSd represent the principal axes of the human condition, reflecting the major phyla of human interaction & communication patterns?
A ConjectureA Conjecture
• Boulding (‘73) & de la Mothe & Paquet (‘96) [echoed by Strange (‘94)] suggest principal transactions:
• Gifts from those who love us (‘consent’)• Tributes from those who fear us (‘coercion’)• Exchange with those willing to trade (‘contract’)
• + habit – ‘convention’, and also, of course, ‘cognition’ and ‘communication’
• Need a ‘common story’ for the emergence of authority – our rules. Are consent, coercion, contract and convention all we have?
• We had better start at the beginning – with life.
• Boulding (‘73) & de la Mothe & Paquet (‘96) [echoed by Strange (‘94)] suggest principal transactions:
• Gifts from those who love us (‘consent’)• Tributes from those who fear us (‘coercion’)• Exchange with those willing to trade (‘contract’)
• + habit – ‘convention’, and also, of course, ‘cognition’ and ‘communication’
• Need a ‘common story’ for the emergence of authority – our rules. Are consent, coercion, contract and convention all we have?
• We had better start at the beginning – with life.
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion Fear
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention Habit
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion Fear
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention Habit
Empire Question Re-searchExhort &Display
Commitment Hope
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion Fear
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention Habit
Empire Question Re-searchExhort &Display
Commitment Hope
Civilisation Imagine Re-createSchool &
TrainCuriosity Fun
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent Love
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion Fear
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention Habit
Empire Question Re-searchExhort &Display
Commitment Hope
Civilisation Imagine Re-createSchool &
TrainCuriosity Fun
Culture Believe TrustCommune & Cohere
Charity Faith
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives Discipline
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life Ecology
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
ConsentLove Anth’pology
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition Inference Psychology
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare Charity Sociology
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract Trade Economics
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion Fear Law
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention Habit Politics
Empire Question Re-searchExhort &Display
Commitment Hope Humanities
Civilisation Imagine Re-createSchool &
TrainCuriosity Fun Education
Culture Believe TrustCommune & Cohere
Charity Faith Aesthetics
A ConjectureA ConjectureInstitution
TypeCharacter Response Result
Transaction System
Motives Discipline
Natural Mind RespondAdapt &Adjust
Food & gene chains
Life(death)
Ecology
Tribe Care ReplyHunt & Gather
Consent(sentient)
Love(hate)
Anth’pology
Community Recognise Relate Cultivate &
TameCognition
(Investigative)Inference(instinct)
Psychology
Society Rationalise ReasonInvent &
ReconstructCare
(Social)Charity(bigotry)
Sociology
Economy Expect RelySpecialise &
TradeContract
(Enterprising)Trade
(autarchy)Economics
‘Ocracy CoerceDemand &
RevereInstitute &Regulate
Coercion(Conventional)
Fear(security)
Law
State ConcedeRespect & Reign
Govern & Preach
Convention(Realistic)
Habit(anarchy)
Politics
Empire Question Re-searchExhort &Display
Commitment(Curious)
Hope(despair)
Humanities
Civilisation Imagine Re-createSchool &
TrainCuriosity(Artistic)
Fun(spite)
Education
Culture Believe TrustCommune & Cohere
Charity(Aesthetic)
Faith(distrust)
Aesthetics
ImplicationsImplications
• Principal balance is between self-interest and the public or social interest – e.g Hofstede’s Individual/Collective.
• Self interest is roughly characterised by Maslow’s heirarchy:
• Principal balance is between self-interest and the public or social interest – e.g Hofstede’s Individual/Collective.
• Self interest is roughly characterised by Maslow’s heirarchy:
ImplicationsImplications
•Social/Public interest is not so well defined in the literature, but:
• Efficiency and Effectiveness is basic
• Justice and Equity follow
• Coherence and Sustainability are aspirations
•Social/Public interest is not so well defined in the literature, but:
• Efficiency and Effectiveness is basic
• Justice and Equity follow
• Coherence and Sustainability are aspirations
ImplicationsImplications
ImplicationsImplications
ImplicationsImplications
ConclusionsConclusions
• charity in our rules, lest we be mistaken;
• hope in our reason, to be veracious & valid;
• faith in our beliefs about the world’s works
Sophists of ancient Greece mediated the transition from an age of myth to an age of practical reason. However: ‘In such critical circumstances, the philosophical denial of absolute values and sophistical condemnation of stark opportunism seemed both to reflect and to exacerbate the problematic spirit of the times’ (Tarnas, 1991, p. 29).
Are we caught now in a similar cusp between our age of practical reason and a future age of sustainable social rationality?
• charity in our rules, lest we be mistaken;
• hope in our reason, to be veracious & valid;
• faith in our beliefs about the world’s works
Sophists of ancient Greece mediated the transition from an age of myth to an age of practical reason. However: ‘In such critical circumstances, the philosophical denial of absolute values and sophistical condemnation of stark opportunism seemed both to reflect and to exacerbate the problematic spirit of the times’ (Tarnas, 1991, p. 29).
Are we caught now in a similar cusp between our age of practical reason and a future age of sustainable social rationality?