Market institutions and economic evolution

Brian J. Loasby

pp. 303-315

in: Dennis C. Mueller, UWE Cantner (eds), Capitalism and democracy in the 21st century, Heidelberg, Physica, 2001

Abstract

Our cognitive limitations cause us to rely on institutions to guide reasonable behaviour; market institutions reduce the costs of search, negotiation, and monitoring entailed in making single transactions. The making of markets requires an investment of immaterial capital, the major share of which typically is provided by those who expect to be very active on one side of the market. This "external organisation" provides producers with information for the development of new products; by simplifying transactions it also allows consumers greater scope for developing consumption capabilities. Thus the evolution of institutions guides the evolution of goods and services.