Abstract This article presents and analyzes two representations of the economic agent; that of homo economicus in the works of John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), and that of animal laborans, an expression found in the works of Hannah Arendt (1906–1975). Both authors oppose a concept found in Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) that identifies human beings as economic agents, rational beings … Continue reading Homo economicus or animal laborans. Is the economic agent the future for human beings?
Tag: animal laborans
The empowerment of the economic agent: An imperative at the heart of the debate on universal basic income
Abstract This article reveals that at the heart of the passionate debate on universal basic income (UBI), which nevertheless asserts one of the strongest notions of utopias and demands for freedom, lies the triumph of the notion of animal laborans, as suggested by Hannah Arendt (1983), which is observed on both sides of the debate. We … Continue reading The empowerment of the economic agent: An imperative at the heart of the debate on universal basic income