Schumpeter's Theological Roots? Harnack and the origins of creative destruction

Paul Nightingale

SPRU Working Paper Series from SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School

Abstract: This short research note highlights the similarity between Schumpeter’s theory of creative destruction and the work of his contemporary, the German theologian Adolf von Harnack (1851-1930). The note provides a brief over-view of Harnack’s concepts and terminology and highlights their similarity to Schumpeterian ideas about routinisation, charismatic entrepreneurial leadership, and creative destruction. While the evidence is far from conclusive it does suggests that the similarity merits closer attention that could potentially lead to changes to the received understanding of the theory of creative destruction. In particular, it suggests a need to potential reassess the position of Schumpeter within a wider Weberian tradition.

Keywords: Schumpeter; Harnack; Qutb; Creative destruction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hme and nep-hpe
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http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/documents/2013-15-swps-nightingale.pdf

Related works:
Journal Article: Schumpeter’s theological roots? Harnack and the origins of creative destruction (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sru:ssewps:2013-15

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