Showing results for "Peter Fleming" in Economics

The Death of Homo Economicus explores the origin of this oppressive myth in order to destroy it. The story begins with the creation of a fake persona labelled the "dollar-hunting man", invented by economists Adam Smith and Friedrich Hayek. Today, this persona, driven by competition and ego, is used by politicians and managers to draw a veil over the terrible reality of work under capitalism.

For neoclassical economists, Homo economicus, or economic human, represents the ideal employee: an energetic worker bee that is a rational yet competitive decision-maker. Alternatively, one could view the concept as a cold and selfish workaholic endlessly seeking the accumulation of money and advancement - a chilling representation of capitalism. Or perhaps, as Peter Fleming argues, Homo economicus does not actually exist at all. Fleming presents this controversial claim with the same fierce logic that launched his Guardian column into popularity.