The inclusive entrepreneurial state: collective wealth creation and distribution

Abstract

Abstract This commentary explores how a new theory of value creation has implications for the distribution of that value. It argues that different theories of value creation lead to different resource allocations and different justifications for them. Thus, to achieve a more equitable distribution of value, a new theory of how that value is created in the first place is needed. This new theory should recognize that value is created collectively, not only by business but also by government and civil society. The state, while predominantly portrayed in traditional economics as a market fixer, has instead often been responsible for actively shaping and creating markets, not just fixing them. Indeed, the most successful capitalist economies have had proactive states that made risky investments, many of which led to technological revolutions. A better understanding of the state's role as a lead risk-taker and innovator (the ‘entrepreneurial state’) can thus also enable a more socially equitable distribution of value.