European technology policy and global schumpeter dynamics: A social science perspective

Abstract

A model of the development of contemporary industrialized societies is presented. It amalgamates Luhmann's theory of systems with that of Schumpeterian innovation. The theory shows that all political and other societal operations are severely constrained by what, in this paper, is called globalizing Schumpeter Dynamics. This evolutionary and expansionist development conflicts with the limited capabilities of the Earth. It is shown that all present policies of resource saving, recycling, material substitution, renewable resource development, eco-engineering and so on seem inadequate to cope with the ecological problems of the next century. This is the background against which European technology policy is analyzed. As with the policies of other industrial nations and economic blocs, it obviously provides no way out of the dilemmas: growth and employment versus ecological destruction and North-South disparities. Even according to more restricted cost-benefit criteria, it seems to be deficient (nuclear energy, manned space flight, genetic engineering, and so on). But, in the light of the proposed theory of Schumpeter Dynamics, European technology policy cannot be basically different from what it is because it is constrained by the growing global uniformity. The further evolution of Schumpeter Dynamics, in particular that induced by more severe severe ecological disasters in the next century and their consequences (wars, epidemics, migrations, crime and so on), may open entirely new vistas and policies.