A Theory of Liberal Churches

Michael Makowsky

No 2010-04, Working Papers from Towson University, Department of Economics

Abstract: There is a counterintuitive gap in the club theory of religion. While it elegantly accounts for the notable success of strict sectarian religious groups in recruiting members and maintaining commitment, it exhibits less satisfactory properties when used to account for groups requiring neither extreme nor zero sacrifice. Such corner solutions, compared to the moderate middle, are rarely observed empirically. Within the original representative agent model, moderate groups are everywhere and always a suboptimal choice for rational, utility maximizing agents. In this paper, we extend the original model to operate within a multi-agent computational context, with heterogeneous agents occupying coordinates in a two dimensional lattice, making repeated decisions over time. Our model offers the possibility of successful moderate groups, including outcomes wherein the population is dominated by moderate groups. The viability of moderate groups is a result of heterogeneous agent wages. Lower wage agents offer greater time contributions, but lesser financial contributions to groups. Higher sacrifice rates incentive greater contributions from members, but reduce private productivity and screen out other potential members with greater financial resources. Moderate groups succeed by offering an optimal balance of these countervailing forces.

Keywords: Club Theory of Religion; Liberal; Moderate; Multi-Agent Computational Model; Sacrifice; Heterogeneous Agents. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C63 D71 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2010-02, Revised 2010-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cmp
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Journal Article: A theory of liberal churches (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tow:wpaper:2010-04

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