Thomas Kuhn, and our problem with social balance

Galbraith’s primary argument in The Affluent Society is that while economic growth has vastly changed human life in wealthy countries, it has not spawned any corresponding change to the way we view our society and economy. Instead we seem ruled by antiquated ideas, and are always held back by a lagging conservatism. We are essentially in a conservative economic (and social) paradigm.

Thomas Kuhn wrote about the nature of paradigms in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Kuhn argued that scientific knowledge is not linear, but proceeds according to the assumptions of dominant paradigms. These assumptions necessarily limit the scope of inquiry, and central assumptions can only be really changed when they are proven irredeemably wrong. Galbraith believes a similar thing has happened with modern society. We have moved forward in wealth and economy, but our assumptions are outdated.

Our current economic/social paradigm provides incentives for private spending, but not public spending, and as such are deficient in public goods, such as schools and infrastructure. Galbraith thinks that what we need is a new set of assumptions, a new paradigm, that is concurrent with the levels of economic growth we are currently experiencing.

“Men must see a purpose in their efforts,” says Galbraith. Currently that purpose is the accumulation of more and more material wealth, because that is what our system centrally proposes: that the expansion of wealth is always good. Galbraith wants to initiate a search for another system, and he seems to think it lies in working less, not more. Sweet.