Law and Economics from an Evolutionary Perspective

Reviews / Votes

'The global financial crisis of 2007-2008 was a wake-up call to all who study and practice in the field of law and economics: traditional approaches are simply inadequate for understanding the co-evolution of the economic and legal systems, and that inadequacy can result in missed opportunities to warn of impending social harm. Atkinson and Paschall demonstrate the value of an alternative approach - law and economics from an evolutionary perspective - that builds on the work of John R. Commons, a leading figure in the field nearly a century ago. In the process, they offer an eye-opening historical account of the role of the state in the economy and provide a vital starting point for future policy discussions.' -- Charles J. Whalen, author of Financial Instability and Economic Security after the Great Recession 'This is a remarkable book that makes significant contributions to a new understanding of the co-evolution of law and economics - accomplished with an extensive overview that is evidence rich. It integrates previously unexplored connections between law and economics that include everything from the ultra vires principle to technological advancement in a manner that demonstrates that neither law nor economics can be understood separately. Further consequences are an advancement in the scholarship of evolution in the social sciences and a demonstration of real-world abductive reasoning from the back-and-forth of institutions to change beliefs for the economy through changes in law.' -- F. Gregory Hayden, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, US 'The language of court documents is notably difficult to understand for people with no legal training. The present volume, a product of fruitful collaboration between a university professor and a lawyer, offers valuable assistance in translating US Supreme Court decisions made in the span of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with respect to economic disputes into the language spoken by evolutionary and institutional economists. As the authors persuasively show, law and economics co-evolve. A much-needed follow-up to and development of John Commons's Legal Foundations of Capitalism!' -- Anton Oleinik, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute, Russia 'Bravo! This is the best book on the interaction of law and economics since John R. Common's Legal Foundations of Capitalism (1924) and in many respects it is a better book. Glen Atkinson (a distinguished economist) and Stephen P. Paschall (a distinguished attorney) have combined their considerable experience, knowledge, and skills to produce a book that will become a classic. Understanding how law and economics interact and change together is essential to understanding nearly all contemporary economic, political, and social issues. Read this book.' -- James Peach, New Mexico State University, US