La economía de la sociedad como sistema autopoiético

Niklas Luhmann

doi:10.5354/rmad.v0i29.27342

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The Economy of Society as an Autopoietic System

Authors

Niklas Luhmann Universidad de Bielefeld

No. 29 (2013)

https://doi.org/10.5354/rmad.v0i29.27342

Abstract

Every society has to solve economic problems. In modern society this occurs with the help of a differentiated economic system. In spite of all its interdependencies and causal links, which tend to increase due to functional differentiation of society, economic system operates as an "autopoietic" subsystem under functional autonomy. This system is closed by its recursive circularity. It consists of payments that are based on other payments and that allow further payments. In this sense, the elements of the system are produced by the elements of the system and the environment of the system contains no elements of that type. Economic system is at the same time an open system since its operations are adapted to the needs of its social and human environment, and because its function consists of ensuring the prospect that future demands will be satisfied in a nearby future. In this sense the closeness of the system is the condition for its openness and vice versa. This article outlines some consequences of this theoretical approach.