Showing papers by "Michael W. Macy published in 1990"

Learning Theory and the Logic of Critical Mass

Abstract: The Oliver-Marwell theory of "critical mass" is a prominent solution to the 'free-rider" problem that plagues collective action in large groups. I reformulate the theory as a stochastic learning model in which cooperative responses are shaped by the social sanctions and cues generated by the responses of others. This relaxes four assumptions in the original formulation: that the actors are rational, decisions are isolated events, outcomes are deterministic, and public goods have pure jointness of supply and "collective profit. " Computer simulations then show how adaptive actors become trapped in a suboptimal equilibrium and how they escape through attainment of critical mass. "Start-up" problems arise from accommodation to social costs and not from low returns to early contributors as previously believed. Simulations also identify a new dilemma of group size and show why solidarity tends to emerge in response to crisis. Finally, normative solidarity appears to be a consequence rather than cause of critical mass but may promote recovery from random deviance.

Marxism as Science: Historical Challenges and Theoretical Growth

Abstract: Thispaper examines Marxism's claim to be a science. Thefirst part considers possible models of science and argues that the most coherent is Imre Lakatos's methodology of scientific research programs. In his conception scientific knowledge grows on the basis of a hard core ofpostulates which are protectedfrom refutation by the development of a series of auxiliary theories. Such a research program is progressive rather than degenerating if successive theories are consistent with the core, explain anomalies and make predictions, some of which are realized. In the second part I argue that with some qualifications the history of Marxism -from Marx and Engels, to German Marxism, to Russian Marxism, andfinally to Western Marxism-conforms to the model of a progressive research program. In the thirdpartlclaim that deviations from the model, such as Soviet Marxism, are due to the breakdown of the reciprocal interaction between Marxism's heuristics and historical challenges.