Bìznes Inform (Jul 2023)
In Regard to the History and Substantive Epistemology of the Categories of «Capitalism», «Liberalism», «Libertarianism»
Abstract
The article is aimed at implementing the correct interpretation of the specified concepts as categories of relevant theories, taking into account the history of their origin, dialectics of content and significance for social progress. The article presents the authors’ approach to the methodology (logic of cognition) of the part of economic theory, which is historically connected with the paradigm, ideology, doctrines of capitalism, as well as the historical dynamics of the processes of formation of the economic foundations of modern post-industrial civilization from the point of view of this theory. At this, such an economic theory is studied on the basis of the concepts and categories of «economic liberalism», «capitalism», «liberalism» and «libertarianism». The key provisions of the relevant theoretical postulates and their social interpretation, together with the consequences of social development in this case, are identified. The use of this allows to clearly identify functional factors (sources) and indicators of progress and efficiency of development models in the context of the main historically known economic theories. It is substantiated that, on this basis, management of development can be justly considered through manipulation of a set of indicators and limitations within a separate, virtually an engineering task, the expediency of which is determined through the dynamics of growth of development effects according to the libertarian model. It is concluded that modern society can be defined as a civilization, where the factor of economic freedom has historically received the greatest realization. Moreover, future progress is conditioned by the extent to which economic liberalism can be deepened in the future. And, accordingly, regression is determined by the extent to which economic liberalism will be limited on the course through the multitude of formally existing alternative conceptions, the essence of which is reduced to the ideas of regulation and flirting with the masses. This development dilemma is the main trend of possible scenarios.
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