The Econ in Econophysics

Anwar Shaikh
New School for Social Research, Department of Economics, 2019
Grado: adelantado
Perspectivas: Economía de la complejidad, Economía evolutiva, Otros
Topic: Innovación y tecnología
Format: Working Paper
Enlace: https://ideas.repec.org/p/new/wpaper/1913.html

Photo by John Barkiple on Unsplash

Exploring Economics Working Paper Selection

We collect and republish selected Working Papers and Journal Articles on Exploring Economics.

Learn more

The Econ in Econophysics

Anwar Shaikh | 2019

 


Abstract: Modern authors have identified a variety of striking economic patterns, most importantly those involving the distribution of incomes and profit rates. In recent times, the econophysics literature has demonstrated that bottom incomes follow an exponential distribution, top incomes follow a Pareto, profit rates display a tent-shaped distribution. This paper is concerned with the theory underlying various explanations of these phenomena. Traditional econophysics relies on energy-conserving “particle collision” models in which simulation is often used to derive a stationary distribution. Those in the Jaynesian tradition rely on entropy maximization, subject to certain constraints, to infer the final distribution. This paper argues that economic phenomena should be derived as results of explicit economic processes. For instance, the entry and exit process motivated by supply decisions of firms underlies the drift-diffusion form of wage, interest and profit rates arbitrage. These processes give rise to stationary distributions that turn out to be also entropy maximizing. In arbitrage approach, entropy maximization is a result. In the Jaynesian approaches, entropy maximization is the means.

Read here

 

Stay tuned!

Subscribe to our newsletter to learn about new debates, conferences and writing workshops.

Subscribe!

Go to: The Econ in Econophysics

This material has been suggested and edited by:

Donar

Este proyecto es presentado por la Network for Pluralist Economics (Netzwerk Plurale Ökonomik e.V.) y socios internacionales.  Está comprometida con la diversidad y la independencia y depende de las donaciones de personas como tú. Donaciones regulares o puntuales serán muy apreciadas!

 

Donar