A major reason for the present crisis

the belief that the economy represents the foundation of human society

François Flahault

pp. 191-205

in: Mauro Magatti (ed), The crisis conundrum, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

Abstract

One of Louis Dumont's theories which has best resisted criticism is that modern western humankind is based—or rather believes it is based—on the relationship with things over the relationship with others. Such a belief implies that the relationship between humankind and its living environment is fundamentally utilitarian, that the economy lies at the basis of human societies and that, consequently, it is in the name of the economy that political powers must justify their choices and actions. This current dominant belief is one of the major reasons for the present crisis. Within this chapter archaeology is dealt with, and it is subsequently demonstrated how understanding acquired over the past ten years has led us to reject this belief, taking us on an alternative pathway.