From economic man to economic system : essays on human behavior and the institutions of capitalism / Harold Demsetz.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-180) and index.

Where economic man dwells -- Protecting you from yourself -- Rescuing economic man from the selfish gene -- Economic man's escape from Malthus's population trap -- The late arrival of capitalism -- Appendix: On the theory of private ownership -- Ownership and exchange -- Reinterpreting the externality problem -- Firms and households as substitutes -- The contrast between firms and political parties -- The public corporation: its ownership and control -- Crossing disciplinary boundaries.

"All but one of the essays in this volume discuss topics involving human behavior and the institutions of capitalism. The exception discusses interdisciplinary work and, particularly, the differences between the ways that biology and economics treat competition. The essays are written so as to be accessible to students of all disciplines and to all other persons interested in capitalism and in economic behavior. They are not text-like treatments, but they do offer useful supplementary readings of an unusual sort for courses in business, economics, and law in matters relating to human behavior, capitalism, ownership, markets, and firms."--Jacket.