“Canard wrote down an equation of forces which determined price under nonspecific circumstances. Here the sellers and buyers were accorded a single function each, which price as the shared variable; psychological need is identified as the ultimate source of each function; equilibrium is equated with the balance of forces. Unfortunately, all specification of the sequence of actions by which equilibrium is brought about is absent, in clear analogy with d’Alembert’s principle in mechanics.”
“To create a scientific theory of economics one would need to use differential calculus to derive a ‘science of economic forces, analogous to the science of astronomical forces’.”— Auguste Walras (1858), comment to son Leon Walras, then aged 24, during walk [2]
| Mechanical phenomenon | Social phenomenon |
| Given a certain number of solids, we study their relations of equilibrium and movement abstracted from the other properties. We obtain thus a study of mechanics. The science of mechanics is divided into two others. If we consider inextensibly connected material points we obtain a pure science, rational mechanics, which studies in an abstract way the forces of equilibrium and movement. The easiest part of science is equilibrium. D’Alembert’s principle, considering the forces of inertia, enables the reduction of the dynamic problem to a static one. From rational mechanics comes applied mechanics, which is a little closer to reality, considering elasticity, friction, etc. Real solids not only have mechanical properties of the phenomena caused by light, electricity and heat. Chemistry studies other properties. Thermodynamics, like other sciences, studies some of these properties in detail. All these sciences constitute the physical-chemical sciences. | Given a society, we study the relations of production and wealth between men, abstracted from other circumstances. We obtain thus the study of political economy. The science of political economy is divided into two others. If we consider the homo economicus who acts only as a result of economic forces, we obtain political economy, which studies in abstract terms ophelimity. The only part of this which is well known is static equilibrium. There may be a principle for economic systems analogous to D’Alembert’s, but at present our knowledge is very poor. The theory of economic crisis offers an example of dynamic study. From pure political economy comes applied political economy, which does not consider solely homo economicus, but also other models of humankind closer to reality. Men and women have other characteristics which are studies by other particular sciences, such as law, religion, aesthetics, the organization of society, and so on. Some of these have quite a high level of development, others on the contrary, have not. As a whole they constitute the social sciences. |
In respect to the extent Pareto, in this publication, utilized "force" in an economic sense, that is a matter in need of investigation.
Scientific terms Sciences Elements Matter [301] (Ѻ):78+; (Ѻ):59+; (Ѻ):89+; (Ѻ):75+
Force [271] (Ѻ):54+; (Ѻ):46+; (Ѻ):83+; (Ѻ):88+
Energy [27] (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):4+; (Ѻ):3+; (Ѻ):19+
Heat [19] (Ѻ):2+; (Ѻ):7+; (Ѻ):3+; (Ѻ):7+
Molecule [7] (Ѻ):V4
Atom [5] (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):3+
Affinity [2] (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):0+
Entropy [1] (Ѻ):V4Mechanics [42] (Ѻ):23+; (Ѻ):2+; (Ѻ):9+; (Ѻ):8+
Chemistry [40] (Ѻ):24+; (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):7+; (Ѻ):8+
Mathematics [32] (Ѻ):22+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):7+; (Ѻ):3+
Physics [26] (Ѻ):15+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):7+; (Ѻ):4+
Thermodynamics [6] (Ѻ):2+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):2+; (Ѻ):2+Oxygen [5] (Ѻ):4+; (Ѻ):1+; (Ѻ):0+; (Ѻ):0+
Hydrogen [3] (Ѻ):V1_______________________________________ _________________________________________ __________________________________
“Economic force sets people in motion. We cannot observe this force. A human person's behaviour is a vector of different forces, of which the economic force is only one. A comparison with Newton's law of gravity is clarifying in this respect. Only if there is no counter-forces we can see an object fall to the ground. So, too, with the economic force; only if there are no other forces human behavior is fully determined by economic force. While in the physics laboratory experiments make the effect of a particular force observable, in economics there is no such thing as a laboratory.”— Piet Keizer (2012), “Coordination and Communication”; an extension of Adam Smith like forces in an historical discussion (§3.2: From Moral Philosophy to Political Economy), according to which the “force” derives from the motivation of an economic subject to maximize their utility [4]