Economics has precedence over all other human endeavors. This is not a ranking or a value judgement; it’s a statement of fact. Economies, or the production, allocation and distribution of surplus goods (to survive), determines who is given the freedom to pursue alternative enterprises.
Every art installation, every monument, every scientific advance, every aspect of human culture not directly necessary for basic survival was and is enabled by surplus production. When art is commissioned from an artist, they are free to paint, sculpt, compose… and need not find other means of generating (survival) income. When publicly funded grants or privately funded awards are allocated to scientists, they are free to pursue their scientific interests (discover new drugs; untangle the nature of the universe; identify physical systems supporting life on Earth). Their time devoted to science and not to other (survival) income generating work. The same applies to architects; but get this, it also applies to the builders. Think about farmers of ancient Egypt; they were so good at producing foodstuffs that they were able to generate enough (surplus) to feed the laborers who built the pyramids. If those farmers were less efficient, it is likely that a number of builders would have had to farm for a living. As it turns out, ancient Egypt had the surplus production to support the construction of many monuments.
When the rise and fall of civilization(s), society(ies) and culture(s) is viewed through through the lens of the allocation of surplus production, it becomes evident that human achievement is an emergent property of economics. And the emergence of complexity is more important than ever before as today’s technology laden economies rely ever more on robust physical and intellectual infrastructures to meet the needs and demands of an ever growing global population.
But the economy is not working for many Americans. Our life expectancy and quality of life are declining; our infrastructure is in a state of collapse and our institutions of high learning under increasing stress. Indeed, there are far more examples than space and time can accommodate.
These are all byproducts of emergent flaws systemic to capitalism. Understanding these flaws is key to developing an economy which serves all people, not just the rich and powerful.
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