An Economic Theory of Greed, Love, Groups and Networks

'This is the most remarkable book I have read in the last decade. It argues that your life, and society, is shaped by a giant version of the Stockholm Syndrome' Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics, University of Warwick

An Economic Theory of Greed, Love, Groups and Networks

Paul Frijters and Gigi Foster

An Original Paperback / ISBN: 9781107678941 / 431pp / £21.99

Published: April 25th, 2013

'In the grand tradition of Gary Becker, Paul Frijters offers a unified theory of human behaviour ...This impressive book seems to explore every nook and cranny of human behaviour, and beautifully articulate[s] economic matters on every page' Jeffrey C. Williamson, Harvard University Emeritus Laird Bell Professor of Economics

Why are people loyal? How do groups form and how do they create incentives for their members to abide by group norms?

Until now, economics has only been able to partially answer these questions. In this landmark book, Paul Frijters and Gigi Foster present a new unified theory of human behaviour. To do so, he incorporates comprehensive yet tractable definitions of love and power, and the dynamics of groups and networks, into the traditional mainstream economic view. The result is an enhanced view of human societies that nevertheless retains the pursuit of self-interest at its core.

This book provides a digestible but comprehensive theory of our socioeconomic system, which condenses its immense complexity into simplified representations. The result both illuminates humanity's history and suggests ways forward for policies today, in areas as diverse as poverty reduction and tax compliance.

About the authors

PROFESSOR PAUL FRIJTERS is a Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland. His work consistently ranks in the top 4 per cent of downloaded and cited economic research in the world. Professor Frijters has undertaken research in a wide variety of fields including happiness and well-being, migration in China, behavioural economics and health economics.

DR GIGI FOSTER is a senior lecturer in the School of Economics at the University of New South Wales. Her research focuses primarily on decisions related to human capital with a particular emphasis on social influence and behavioural economics.

About Cambridge University Press

Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Dedicated to excellence, its purpose is to further the University's objective of advancing knowledge, education, learning, and research. Its extensive peer-reviewed publishing lists comprise 45,000 titles covering academic research, professional development, over 300 research journals, school-level education, English language teaching and bible publishing. Playing a leading role in today's international market place, Cambridge University Press has over 50 offices around the globe, and it distributes its products to nearly every country in the world.