From the primitive mentality to the civilization of capitalism: Joseph Schumpeter, reader of Lucien Lévy-Bruhl

Tristan Velardo

The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, 2025, vol. 32, issue 2, 274-292

Abstract: This article explores the scientific connection between Lucien Lévy-Bruhl’s anthropological framework and Joseph Schumpeter’s theory of capitalism. Schumpeter incorporates Lévy-Bruhl’s concepts of “primitive mentality” and its contrast to “logical mentality” into his analysis of the cultural dimensions of capitalism. When characterising the “civilization” of capitalism, Schumpeter emphasises its “rationalistic” and “logical” aspects, drawing from Lévy-Bruhl’s depiction of “logical mentality.” Furthermore, Schumpeter adopts Lévy-Bruhl’s methodological approach, which posits that the mental structures of a society are shaped by its socio-economic organisation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/09672567.2024.2392512

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