Economic Imperialism
"Economic Imperialism" is a seminal paper authored by Edward P. Lazear, published in 1999. In this paper, Lazear challenges the boundaries between economics and other social sciences, particularly sociology. He argues that economics, with its focus on rational decision-making and incentives, has expanded its domain beyond traditional economic topics to explain phenomena traditionally studied by sociologists.
Lazear introduces the concept of "Economic Imperialism," which refers to the extension of economic analysis into areas previously considered outside the scope of economics. He contends that many social issues, such as family structure, crime, education, and even religion, can be better understood through economic principles. For example, he suggests that family decisions can be analyzed as choices made to maximize utility, and crime can be viewed as a rational response to incentives.