The situation depicted by Dr. Seuss [in The Lorax] in which the Onceler destroys the environment does not describe a market failure because the land in which it takes place does not adhere to the principles of a market economy because it lacks clear property rights.It turns out that there is an excellent piece in The Journal of Private Enterprise on the Lessons from The Lorax.
Economics is often used in literary studies, but rarely free market economics. Austrian economics, with its emphasis on subjective value (Menger), human action (Mises), spontaneous order and knowledge (Hayek), and entrepreneurship (Kirzner), seems a particularly fruitful source of ideas for literary studies.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Lessons from The Lorax
Steve Horwitz quotes a student paper on Facebook:
If folks are interested, I can share the assignment from which that paper/quote was taken.
ReplyDeleteWe are definitely interested. Thanks!
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