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Brianne Wolf

Michigan State University, James Madison College, Faculty Member

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Brianne Wolf is assistant professor of political theory and constitutional democracy and director of the political economy minor at Michigan State University's James Madison College, where she teaches courses on political economy and political philosophy. She specializes in history of political thought with an emphasis on the interaction between politics and economics, liberalism, and the moral dimensions of the market. She has published on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, and F.A. Hayek.
Supervisors: Richard Avramenko
Address: Department of History and Political Science
Ashland University
401 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805

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Papers by Brianne Wolf

Tocqueville and the Moral Economy of Bankruptcy in Nineteenth-Century America

Introduction: Moral Economy and Political Economy I ndividual decision-making in a market economy... more Introduction: Moral Economy and Political Economy I ndividual decision-making in a market economy and its effects on society have long been debated. Scholars and pundits alike point to the problems of ignorance, structural inequality, and disproportionate power as preventing citizens from making good economic decisions. Some economists assert that decisions are value-neutral where "the analysis assumes that individuals maximize welfare as they conceive it, whether they be selfish, altruistic, loyal, spiteful, or masochistic." 1 Those who view decision-making in a market space as value-neutral dismiss the normative impact that can result from the sum of individual decisions. In other words, they maintain that economic decisions are and ought to be individual decisions. Other economists assert that market spaceswhere people buy and sell goods and services-incentivize moral decisions because "markets reward good behavior and good actors gain social approval. Similarly, markets punish bad behavior and *The author would like to thank the editor for helpful comments on the paper. The author would also like to thank participants in the symposium "The Future Before Us: Early Career Women in Political Theory and Constitutional Studies" held at the Southern Political Science Conference in January 2023 and the conference "Markets and Society" held in Falls Church, Virginia, in October 2023 for their suggestions, which greatly improved the final essay, and especially Gianna Englert for her insights and Richard Avramenko for planning the symposium. The author would also like to thank her undergraduate research assistant Nick Beekman for his help researching this article.

Bringing the Family Back In: Political Economy and the Family in Liberal Theory

Springer International Publishing eBooks, 2023

Author Meets Critics: Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke’s Political Economy

The Political Science Reviewer, Nov 9, 2021

Adam Smith’s Cosmopolitan Liberalism: Taste, Political Economy, and Objectification

Polity

The missing monster: markets make us moral, but what about politics?

The Review of Austrian Economics

“The Monetary Link”: Tocqueville on the Second Bank of the United States and Liberal Political Economy

Exploring the Social and Political Economy of Alexis de Tocqueville, 2020

Tocqueville is not considered a pioneer of political economy, though economic themes are prevalen... more Tocqueville is not considered a pioneer of political economy, though economic themes are prevalent throughout his work. However, through an analysis of his comments on the debate over whether or not to recharter the Second Bank of the United States, I argue Tocqueville demonstrates that governmental centralization is essential for a healthy liberal political economy. Governmental centralization is key because it allows for the implementation of the entrepreneurial spirit and provides a basic structure of rules and laws that facilitate commerce and are the basis for national bonds and distinctly American mores. For Tocqueville, the political economy of America is defined by both a spirit of commerce and a need for institutions that foster this spirit and prevent it from being overcome by problematic democratic passions.

The economic education of Emile: Reinterpreting Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe

Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile's curriculum is often read as... more Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile's curriculum is often read as furthering his project of teaching Emile to be an autonomous, natural man. Yet in introducing the novel, Rousseau has a surprising treatment of economics. If Crusoe, an isolated individual, is supposed to further Emile's education in autonomy, why does Rousseau introduce him with a discussion of society, specifically economics? This paper argues that through the novel, Rousseau provides a broader economic education that shows Emile how to maintain healthy self-love and fulfil his duty as citizen in corrupt, commercial society. Further, Rousseau invites the reader to be critical of the character of Crusoe, who is self-sufficient, but alone.

Disciplining the Rich: Tocqueville on Philanthropy and Privilege

The Review of Politics, 2021

This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do th... more This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do this, we turn to Alexis de Tocqueville who outlines a set of expectations for any privileged elite. Drawing from his Old Regime, Memoir on Pauperism, and Democracy in America, we argue that the superrich are obliged to a particular kind of charity, which we specify as philanthropy. To fulfill their philanthropic duties, the superrich must steadfastly attend to three obligations: maintaining their local communities, safeguarding local liberties, and providing moral leadership. In the conclusion, we suggest how the superrich might be disciplined unto this virtue.

Political Economy Core Documents

Ashbrook Press, 2021

This volume presents a collection of writings essential for understanding the core ideas of and d... more This volume presents a collection of writings essential for understanding the core ideas of and debates in political economy, with special attention to the way these ideas and debates played out in the American context. Polit- ical economy is the study of the relationship between individuals and the community. The problem political economy grapples with is how to balance desires for both unity and plurality. In other words, political economy tries to resolve the often conflicting pursuit of private interests with the goal of a common good: it is a multi-century conversation exploring different options for the coordination of human activity to allow for the fulfillment of both. To understand what political economy is and how these ideas can inform individual as well as policy decisions given the rules we all live under, these documents must be reflected upon and debated.

Disciplining the Rich: Tocqueville on Philanthropy and Privilege

by Brianne Wolf and Richard Avramenko

Review of Politics, 2021

This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do th... more This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do this, we turn to Alexis de Tocqueville who clearly outlines a set of expectations for any privileged elite. Drawing from his Old Regime, Memoir on Pauperism, and Democracy in America, we argue that the superrich are obliged to a particular kind of charity, which we refer to as philanthropy. To fulfill their philanthropic duties, the superrich must steadfastly attend to three obligations: maintaining their local community, safeguarding local liberties, and providing moral leadership. In the conclusion, we suggest how the superrich might be disciplined unto this virtue.

‘The Monetary Link’: Tocqueville on the Second Bank of the US and Liberal Political Economy

Exploring the Social and Political Economy of Alexis de Tocqueville, 2020

The Silent Role of Emotions in Hayekian Political Economy

Hayek is relatively silent on the issue of emotion. When he does discuss it, he critiques emotion... more Hayek is relatively silent on the issue of emotion. When he does discuss it, he critiques emotions in two main ways: the problematic desire to promote social justice, and the longing to return to tribal society. I argue that while Hayek seems to view emotions in a negative light, arguing that they have no place in political economy, his project depends on emotion. First, his references to the work of David Hume and Adam Smith, who discussed emotion extensively, suggest that there is space for emotion in his thought. Second, Hayek does not suffer from the pretense of reason. Finally, emotion is central for the kind of social coordination resulting in spontaneous order that Hayek praises. Arguing that emotions are non-rational processes, I position emotions as an important part of political economy more broadly because they facilitate relationships among individuals and therefore make social coordination through the market process possible. Understanding the complex nature of emotion in Hayek’s thought shows both that Hayek is not as strong a proponent of rationality as he is sometimes characterized, and that emotion is necessary for a free society and a robust political economy.

Beyond the Efficiency of the Market: Adam Smith on Sympathy and the Poor Law

In the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith provides a brief discussion of the English poor law as part ... more In the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith provides a brief discussion of the English poor law as part of a larger discussion about labor markets. As we might expect from the caricature of Smith as a laissez-faire economist, he argues that the law distorts the labor market in two ways: (1) by restricting the free circulation of labor (2) by causing differences in price across labor markets. However, Smith spends a good deal more time talking about the moral consequences of the law. Why does Smith discuss the moral effects of the law rather than simply dismissing it on economic grounds? This chapter addresses this question by reading Smith’s argument about the poor law in Wealth of Nations together with his arguments about the extent of sympathy in Theory of Moral Sentiments. I argue that attention to the moral consequences of this policy shows how economic liberty is also tied to the development of healthy moral judgment and sympathetic relationships. Smith highlights two key aspects of the law that harm the moral situation of the poor by exacerbating the problem of distance in sympathetic relationships. First, the poor law establishes a position of arbitrary power for its overseers relative to the rest of society. Second, the law positions the poor as objects to be administered rather than individuals with moral worth. With this example, Smith shows how interfering with the market makes it more likely that we enhance its negative potential for fostering selfishness to the detriment of sympathy.

The Economic Education of Emile: Reinterpreting Rousseau’s Use of Robinson Crusoe

History of Political Thought, 2018

Rousseau’s use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile’s curriculum is often read as further... more Rousseau’s use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile’s curriculum is often read as furthering his project of teaching Emile to be an autonomous, natural man. Yet in introducing the novel, Rousseau has a surprising treatment of economics. If Crusoe, an isolated individual, is supposed to further Emile’s education in autonomy, why does Rousseau introduce him with a discussion of society, specifically economics? This paper argues that through the novel, Rousseau provides a broader economic education that shows Emile how to maintain healthy self-love and fulfill his duty as citizen in corrupt, commercial society. Further, Rousseau invites the reader to be critical of the character of Crusoe who is self-sufficient, but alone.

Tocqueville and the Moral Economy of Bankruptcy in Nineteenth-Century America

Introduction: Moral Economy and Political Economy I ndividual decision-making in a market economy... more Introduction: Moral Economy and Political Economy I ndividual decision-making in a market economy and its effects on society have long been debated. Scholars and pundits alike point to the problems of ignorance, structural inequality, and disproportionate power as preventing citizens from making good economic decisions. Some economists assert that decisions are value-neutral where "the analysis assumes that individuals maximize welfare as they conceive it, whether they be selfish, altruistic, loyal, spiteful, or masochistic." 1 Those who view decision-making in a market space as value-neutral dismiss the normative impact that can result from the sum of individual decisions. In other words, they maintain that economic decisions are and ought to be individual decisions. Other economists assert that market spaceswhere people buy and sell goods and services-incentivize moral decisions because "markets reward good behavior and good actors gain social approval. Similarly, markets punish bad behavior and *The author would like to thank the editor for helpful comments on the paper. The author would also like to thank participants in the symposium "The Future Before Us: Early Career Women in Political Theory and Constitutional Studies" held at the Southern Political Science Conference in January 2023 and the conference "Markets and Society" held in Falls Church, Virginia, in October 2023 for their suggestions, which greatly improved the final essay, and especially Gianna Englert for her insights and Richard Avramenko for planning the symposium. The author would also like to thank her undergraduate research assistant Nick Beekman for his help researching this article.

Bringing the Family Back In: Political Economy and the Family in Liberal Theory

Springer International Publishing eBooks, 2023

Author Meets Critics: Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke’s Political Economy

The Political Science Reviewer, Nov 9, 2021

Adam Smith’s Cosmopolitan Liberalism: Taste, Political Economy, and Objectification

Polity

The missing monster: markets make us moral, but what about politics?

The Review of Austrian Economics

“The Monetary Link”: Tocqueville on the Second Bank of the United States and Liberal Political Economy

Exploring the Social and Political Economy of Alexis de Tocqueville, 2020

Tocqueville is not considered a pioneer of political economy, though economic themes are prevalen... more Tocqueville is not considered a pioneer of political economy, though economic themes are prevalent throughout his work. However, through an analysis of his comments on the debate over whether or not to recharter the Second Bank of the United States, I argue Tocqueville demonstrates that governmental centralization is essential for a healthy liberal political economy. Governmental centralization is key because it allows for the implementation of the entrepreneurial spirit and provides a basic structure of rules and laws that facilitate commerce and are the basis for national bonds and distinctly American mores. For Tocqueville, the political economy of America is defined by both a spirit of commerce and a need for institutions that foster this spirit and prevent it from being overcome by problematic democratic passions.

The economic education of Emile: Reinterpreting Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe

Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile's curriculum is often read as... more Rousseau's use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile's curriculum is often read as furthering his project of teaching Emile to be an autonomous, natural man. Yet in introducing the novel, Rousseau has a surprising treatment of economics. If Crusoe, an isolated individual, is supposed to further Emile's education in autonomy, why does Rousseau introduce him with a discussion of society, specifically economics? This paper argues that through the novel, Rousseau provides a broader economic education that shows Emile how to maintain healthy self-love and fulfil his duty as citizen in corrupt, commercial society. Further, Rousseau invites the reader to be critical of the character of Crusoe, who is self-sufficient, but alone.

Disciplining the Rich: Tocqueville on Philanthropy and Privilege

The Review of Politics, 2021

This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do th... more This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do this, we turn to Alexis de Tocqueville who outlines a set of expectations for any privileged elite. Drawing from his Old Regime, Memoir on Pauperism, and Democracy in America, we argue that the superrich are obliged to a particular kind of charity, which we specify as philanthropy. To fulfill their philanthropic duties, the superrich must steadfastly attend to three obligations: maintaining their local communities, safeguarding local liberties, and providing moral leadership. In the conclusion, we suggest how the superrich might be disciplined unto this virtue.

Political Economy Core Documents

Ashbrook Press, 2021

This volume presents a collection of writings essential for understanding the core ideas of and d... more This volume presents a collection of writings essential for understanding the core ideas of and debates in political economy, with special attention to the way these ideas and debates played out in the American context. Polit- ical economy is the study of the relationship between individuals and the community. The problem political economy grapples with is how to balance desires for both unity and plurality. In other words, political economy tries to resolve the often conflicting pursuit of private interests with the goal of a common good: it is a multi-century conversation exploring different options for the coordination of human activity to allow for the fulfillment of both. To understand what political economy is and how these ideas can inform individual as well as policy decisions given the rules we all live under, these documents must be reflected upon and debated.

Disciplining the Rich: Tocqueville on Philanthropy and Privilege

by Brianne Wolf and Richard Avramenko

Review of Politics, 2021

This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do th... more This article inquires into the moral successes and failings of the superrich in America. To do this, we turn to Alexis de Tocqueville who clearly outlines a set of expectations for any privileged elite. Drawing from his Old Regime, Memoir on Pauperism, and Democracy in America, we argue that the superrich are obliged to a particular kind of charity, which we refer to as philanthropy. To fulfill their philanthropic duties, the superrich must steadfastly attend to three obligations: maintaining their local community, safeguarding local liberties, and providing moral leadership. In the conclusion, we suggest how the superrich might be disciplined unto this virtue.

‘The Monetary Link’: Tocqueville on the Second Bank of the US and Liberal Political Economy

Exploring the Social and Political Economy of Alexis de Tocqueville, 2020

The Silent Role of Emotions in Hayekian Political Economy

Hayek is relatively silent on the issue of emotion. When he does discuss it, he critiques emotion... more Hayek is relatively silent on the issue of emotion. When he does discuss it, he critiques emotions in two main ways: the problematic desire to promote social justice, and the longing to return to tribal society. I argue that while Hayek seems to view emotions in a negative light, arguing that they have no place in political economy, his project depends on emotion. First, his references to the work of David Hume and Adam Smith, who discussed emotion extensively, suggest that there is space for emotion in his thought. Second, Hayek does not suffer from the pretense of reason. Finally, emotion is central for the kind of social coordination resulting in spontaneous order that Hayek praises. Arguing that emotions are non-rational processes, I position emotions as an important part of political economy more broadly because they facilitate relationships among individuals and therefore make social coordination through the market process possible. Understanding the complex nature of emotion in Hayek’s thought shows both that Hayek is not as strong a proponent of rationality as he is sometimes characterized, and that emotion is necessary for a free society and a robust political economy.

Beyond the Efficiency of the Market: Adam Smith on Sympathy and the Poor Law

In the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith provides a brief discussion of the English poor law as part ... more In the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith provides a brief discussion of the English poor law as part of a larger discussion about labor markets. As we might expect from the caricature of Smith as a laissez-faire economist, he argues that the law distorts the labor market in two ways: (1) by restricting the free circulation of labor (2) by causing differences in price across labor markets. However, Smith spends a good deal more time talking about the moral consequences of the law. Why does Smith discuss the moral effects of the law rather than simply dismissing it on economic grounds? This chapter addresses this question by reading Smith’s argument about the poor law in Wealth of Nations together with his arguments about the extent of sympathy in Theory of Moral Sentiments. I argue that attention to the moral consequences of this policy shows how economic liberty is also tied to the development of healthy moral judgment and sympathetic relationships. Smith highlights two key aspects of the law that harm the moral situation of the poor by exacerbating the problem of distance in sympathetic relationships. First, the poor law establishes a position of arbitrary power for its overseers relative to the rest of society. Second, the law positions the poor as objects to be administered rather than individuals with moral worth. With this example, Smith shows how interfering with the market makes it more likely that we enhance its negative potential for fostering selfishness to the detriment of sympathy.

The Economic Education of Emile: Reinterpreting Rousseau’s Use of Robinson Crusoe

History of Political Thought, 2018

Rousseau’s use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile’s curriculum is often read as further... more Rousseau’s use of Robinson Crusoe as the only text in Emile’s curriculum is often read as furthering his project of teaching Emile to be an autonomous, natural man. Yet in introducing the novel, Rousseau has a surprising treatment of economics. If Crusoe, an isolated individual, is supposed to further Emile’s education in autonomy, why does Rousseau introduce him with a discussion of society, specifically economics? This paper argues that through the novel, Rousseau provides a broader economic education that shows Emile how to maintain healthy self-love and fulfill his duty as citizen in corrupt, commercial society. Further, Rousseau invites the reader to be critical of the character of Crusoe who is self-sufficient, but alone.