 The Economics of Indigenous Peoples and Ancient Economic ThoughtSangaralingam Ramesh ()
Chapter 2 in The Political Economy of the Indigenous Peoples of the World, Volume I, 2026, pp 57-102 from Springer Abstract: Abstract This chapter challenges the universalism of modern economic theory by placing Indigenous economic systems in dialogue with ancient economic thought from India, China, and Greece. It critiques neoclassical assumptions (homo economicus, abstraction from place) and notes that Marxian frameworks, while powerful on class and enclosure, often under-theorize cosmology, non-material value, and multi-species governance. The chapter presents Indigenous economies (e.g., Andean ayllu, Dene governance) as coherent political economies embedded in land, law, kinship, and spirituality, emphasizing relational accountability, polycentric decision-making, and commons stewardship consistent with Ostrom’s design principles. In parallel, it surveys ethical–political traditions such as Kautilya’s statecraft and welfare duties, Confucian links between legitimacy and food security, and Aristotelian critiques of limitless accumulation. It introduces Symbiotic Gaian Economics (SGE) as a synthesis of relationality, moral economy, and Earth-system limits. Date: 2026 There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it. Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-24041-5_2 Ordering information: This item can be ordered from DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-24041-5_2 Access Statistics for this chapter More chapters in Springer Books from Springer |
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