Samuel Enajite Enajero Discusses the Difference between the Economic Man and the Spiritual Person in His Book
The author defines what the economic man is and what the wholly spiritual person is (and cannot be).
“Although the economic man could be spiritual, however, the level is subdued by purposefulness. He knows how to separate spirituality from reality. Spirituality is no part of consideration. He never counts on rituals.” Samuel Enajite Enajero
Dr. Samuel Enajite Enajero discusses the role of historical collective institutions in the socio-economic progress of Europe and certain Asian nations and the absence of collectivism in Sub-Saharan Africa in his book Collective Institutions in Industrialized Nations: Economic Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa (Page Publishing; 2015).
In Chapter 4 titled “Institutions and the Stylized Economic Man”, Dr. Enajero defines institutions as “social system either unintentionally or deliberately established for the smooth and progressive operation of an organization or a society.” They both “empower and constrain” individuals in a society and create coherent beliefs with the power to mold individual behavior, create consistency, enable desirable activities, and constrain undesirable activities. Therefore, institutions are “rules established to harmonize social interaction”.
Dr. Enajero said, “Societies operate with so many institutions, ranging from habitual inclinations to a body of laws established to protect property rights. The latter are legal institutions. They include schools, regulations, corporations, and any entity or system where there are rules. Institutions include languages, measurement scales, traffic lights, and so on and so forth.”
Also in the same chapter, Dr. Enajero tackles the difference between the economic man and the wholly spiritual person. Whereas the economic man is realistic, the spiritual person is supernatural. Relying on his resourcefulness, the economic man taps his environment, turns problems into opportunities, and sees income and wealth everywhere around him because he believes “money grows on trees.” The economic man has the potential of becoming a successful manager.
The spiritual person, however, does not take advantage of economic opportunities around him, as they are oblivious to the economic buoyancy in their surroundings. Spiritual beings believe there are supreme beings that provide everyone’s needs and the power of rituals and sorcery create plenty of food, housing, and wealth. To them, the gods provide fortune and create chances. Thus, they exert less effort in economic pursuits but more in their religious rituals. Moreover, the spiritual person is egoistic and never considers himself as a factor of production. Because they cannot be realistic about the environment in which they operate, spiritual beings cannot be successful managers.
Was the economic man born (as implied in mainstream economics) or made by the appropriate institutions? So, how can the spiritual cultural individual become a practical economic agent? Dr. Samuel Enajite Enajero offers the answer in Collective Institutions in Industrialized Nations: Economic Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Collective Institutions in Industrialized Nations: Economic Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa
Author | Samuel Enajite Enajero, Ph.D.
Published date | November 5, 2015
Publisher | Page Publishing
Book retail price |
Author Bio
Samuel Enajite Enajero is a researcher, visiting assistant professor and lecturer and academic author with a Ph.D. in Economics.
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