The Political Economy of Indo-European Polytheism
ISBN:
978-3-03-097942-3
Auflage:
1st ed. 2022
Verlag:
Springer, Springer International Publishing
Land des Verlags:
Schweiz
Erscheinungsdatum:
24.04.2022
Reihe:
Contributions to Economics
Format:
Hardcover
Seitenanzahl:
188
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This book sheds new light on the evolution and transformation of polytheistic religions. By applying economic models to the study of religious history and by viewing religious events as the result of rational choices under given environmental constraints, it offers a political economy perspective for the study of Indo-European polytheism. The book formally models the rivalry or competition among multiple gods in a polytheistic system and the monotheistic solution to this competition. Presenting case studies on the transformation and demise of various polytheistic religions, it highlights the pivotal role of the priestly class in driving religious change and suggests a joint explanation for the demise of Greco-Roman religion and the resilience of Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. It will appeal to scholars of the economics of religion and religious history and to anyone seeking new insights into the birth and death of religions, and the birth of monotheism in particular.
Schlagwörter
Economics of religion
Birth of monotheism
Hinduism and Zoroastrianism
Religion and political economy
Greco-Roman religion and its demise
Transition from polytheism to monotheism
Political economy to polytheistic religion
Polytheistic theology as a rational choice problem
Priesthood as a profession and as an interest group
Biografische Anmerkung
Mario Ferrero is an economist specializing in comparative economic systems, political economy, conflict, terrorism, and religion. In the past twenty years, he has focused on important problems of religious history, including the birth of Christianity, the Catholic Church, and the Reformation, Islam, and polytheism. He has published widely in academic journals and edited volumes.
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Erscheinungsjahr:
2024
