Abstract

VAN DEN BERG, Hendrik. Economic orthodoxy discourages the study of collective behavior. Rev.econ.inst. [online]. 2015, vol.17, n.32, pp.13-37. ISSN 0124-5996.  https://doi.org/10.18601/01245996.v17n32.01.

Economic thought evolved over the past two centuries to focus on individual behavior as the basis for all economic activity. Some heterodox economists have pointed to the importance of group behavior and the influence of organizations on economic activity, but the neoclassical paradigm, with the rational isolated individual as its main actor, prevails in mainstream economics. This paper presents a "sociology of economics" to explain why the prevailing paradigm of economics does not allow seeing and studying group behavior. Drawing on the work of Pierre Bourdieu, the paper details the habitus, the system of beliefs and the symbolic violence against those who question them. Also, it highlights the support of commercial and financial interests to the dominant culture.

Keywords : Culture; neoclassical economics; orthodoxy; pluralism; sociology.

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