Foundations of Social Theory

A masterwork. Epic in scope, it is clear, engaging, and forcefully argued. Traditional sociologists will be unable to ignore its bold new agenda for their discipline. And the book will have a lasting impact on economics, political science, psychology, and other disciplines concerned with human behavior...[It] is indeed a fitting capstone to the career of one of this century's most distinguished and creative sociologists. -- Robert H. Frank * Journal of Economic Literature * A landmark in the history of social theory, combining comprehensive scope with depth and precision of analysis...This is a work which builds upon and deepens virtually all of Coleman's extensive earlier sociological research...This lifetime corpus, culminating now in a theoretical synthesis, assures Coleman a place in the history of sociology on at least an equal level with Weber, Durkheim, and a few others: he is a master of sociological thought...This is a book for our time. Every social scientist will want to read and learn from it. -- Thomas J. Fararo * Social Science Quarterly * The most important book in social theory in a long time. Coleman demonstrates formally and with numerous examples that a rational choice model of behavior has enormous power in explaining social phenomena. This book will give sociology a strong push in a new direction. -- Gary S. Becker * Nobel Laureate, University of Chicago * Coleman's study...exhibits some magnificent achievements. The foremost of these is a sophisticated elaboration and extension of the research program of rational choice theory as it applies to corporate actors, both public and private...This is an ambitious, highly intelligent, intellectually honest, and morally uplifting book. If it is true that radical conservatives make the best sociologists, then Coleman certainly fits the bill. -- Robert J. Holton * Critical Review *

Preface 1. Metatheory: Explanation in Social Science Explanation of the Behavior of Social Systems Components of the Theory Conceptions of the Relations between Micro and Macro Levels Part I / Elementary Actions and Relations 2. Actors and Resources, Interest and Control The Elements Structures of Action Social Exchange Simple and Complex Relations 3. Rights to Act What Are Rights? How the Free-Rider Problem Is Reduced for Rights How Does New Information Bring About a Change in the Allocation of Rights? How Does a Right Change Hands? Who Are the Relevant Others? How Are Rights Partitioned, and How Might They Be? 4. Authority Relations The Right to Control One's Own Actions Vesting of Authority Conjoint and Disjoint Authority Relations Transfer of One Right or Two: Simple and Complex Authority Relations Limitations on Authority Slavery Authority without Intentional Exercise 5. Relations of Trust The Placement of Trust Actions of the Trustee Multiple Trustors and Public-Goods Problems Part II / Structures of Action 6. Systems of Social Exchange What Is Money? Media of Exchange in Social and Political Systems Exchanges within Systems 7. From Authority Relations to Authority Systems The Law of Agency Sympathy and Identification: Affine Agents Simple and Complex Authority Structures The Internal Morality of an Authority System 8. Systems of Trust and Their Dynamic Properties Mutual Trust Intermediaries in Trust Third-Party Trust Large Systems Involving Trust 9. Collective Behavior General Properties of Collective Behavior Escape Panics Bank and Stock Market Panics Acquisitive Crazes Contagious Beliefs Hostile and Expressive Crowds Fads and Fashions Influence Processes in Purchasing Decisions, Voting, and Public Opinion Specific Predictions about Collective Behavior 10. The Demand for Effective Norms Examples of Norms and Sanctions Distinctions among Norms The First Condition: Externalities of Actions and the Demand for a Norm What Constitutes Social Efficiency? Systems of Norms 11. The Realization of Effective Norms An Action-Rights Bank Social Relationships in Support of Sanctions Free Riding and Zeal Heroic versus Incremental Sanctioning How Are Sanctions Applied in Society? Emergence of Norms about Voting Internalization of Norms 12. Social Capital Human Capital and Social Capital Forms of Social Capital Relative Quantities of Social Capital The Public-Good Aspect of Social Capital The Creation, Maintenance, and Destruction of Social Capital Part III / Corporate Action 13. Constitutions and the Construction of Corporate Actors Norms and Constitutions Positive Social Theory Change in a Disjoint Constitution: American High Schools An Optimal Constitution Who Are the Elementary Actors? 14. The Problem of Social Choice Partitioning of Rights to Indivisible Goods Constitutional Issues in Partitioning Rights to Control Corporate Actions Intellectual Puzzles concerning Social Choice Emergent Processes and Institutions for Social Choice Ethical Theory: How to Determine the Right Action Executive Decision Making Community Decision Making and Conflict Characteristics of Noninstitutionalized Social Choice 15. From Individual Choice to Social Choice The Problem of Independence from irrelevant Alternatives Tournaments as Institutions for Social Choice Multi-Stage versus Single-Stage Processes for Social Choice The Nature of Rights in Social Choice 16. The Corporate Actor as a System of Action Weberian Bureaucracy in Theory and Practice The Format Organization as a Specification of Transactions Modes of Maintaining Viability in Formal Organizations Explicit and Implicit Constitutions Structures That Link Interest and Control General Principles f