An experimental investigation of Hobbesian jungles

Benjamin Powell; Bart J. Wilson

doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2006.06.011

An experimental investigation of Hobbesian jungles

Benjamin Powell, Bart J. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hobbes's state of nature serves as the analytical starting point for much of what economists have written on anarchy and the formation of government. Unfortunately little historical evidence exists about how men behaved in a "state of nature", if such a situation ever even existed. We conducted a laboratory experiment to create a Hobbesian state of nature and observe the level of economic efficiency subjects achieve. We also investigate Buchanan's conjecture that people would unanimously agree to a social contract against theft.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	669-686
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Volume	66
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2006.06.011
State	Published - Jun 2008

Keywords

Anarchy
Experimental economics
Hobbesian jungle
Social contract

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10.1016/j.jebo.2006.06.011

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abstract = "Hobbes's state of nature serves as the analytical starting point for much of what economists have written on anarchy and the formation of government. Unfortunately little historical evidence exists about how men behaved in a {"}state of nature{"}, if such a situation ever even existed. We conducted a laboratory experiment to create a Hobbesian state of nature and observe the level of economic efficiency subjects achieve. We also investigate Buchanan's conjecture that people would unanimously agree to a social contract against theft.",

keywords = "Anarchy, Experimental economics, Hobbesian jungle, Social contract",

author = "Benjamin Powell and Wilson, {Bart J.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank David Friedman, Jack Hirschleifer, Randall Holcombe, Jeffery Hummel, J. Barkley Rosser, Gordon Tullock, three anonymous referees, session participants at the Southern Economics Association conference 2005 and the Association of Private Enterprise Education conference 2004 for helpful comments and suggestions. We also thank Jeffrey Kirchner for writing the software, Matt Ryan for research assistance, and the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics for financial support. All errors are our own. ",

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AU - Wilson, Bart J.

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N2 - Hobbes's state of nature serves as the analytical starting point for much of what economists have written on anarchy and the formation of government. Unfortunately little historical evidence exists about how men behaved in a "state of nature", if such a situation ever even existed. We conducted a laboratory experiment to create a Hobbesian state of nature and observe the level of economic efficiency subjects achieve. We also investigate Buchanan's conjecture that people would unanimously agree to a social contract against theft.

AB - Hobbes's state of nature serves as the analytical starting point for much of what economists have written on anarchy and the formation of government. Unfortunately little historical evidence exists about how men behaved in a "state of nature", if such a situation ever even existed. We conducted a laboratory experiment to create a Hobbesian state of nature and observe the level of economic efficiency subjects achieve. We also investigate Buchanan's conjecture that people would unanimously agree to a social contract against theft.

KW - Anarchy

KW - Experimental economics

KW - Hobbesian jungle

KW - Social contract

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EP - 686

JO - Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

JF - Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

IS - 3-4

ER -

An experimental investigation of Hobbesian jungles

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Keywords

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