Vincent Ostrom Rocks My Face Off!!!

Abstract

"I recently read Vincent Ostrom's The Meaning of Democracy and the Vulnerability of Democracies for Pete's Constitutional Political Economy Class. He wrote up a comment on the Austrian Economists. I would like to comment on a feature of Vincent Ostrom's proposed research design for the investigation into political economy. As it has been explained to me the Ostroms (both Vincent and Elinore) assert that the proper structure of intensive education in political economy is one of artisanship over repetitions and reiteration. Graduate students learn best by doing and should view their degree seeking years more as apprenticeships in which they hone the tools and skills of their craft. The craftsmanship theme runs throughout not only their advice and strategic suggestions but also in the messages of their scholarly assertions as well. Take for example the use of the term applied to the tasks of creating good governance, sustaining democratic structures and drafting of successful constitutions. Ostrom refers to such a task as 'constitutional craftsmanship.' The implication of the dual presence of craftsmanship in both strategy and investigation is that theories of political economy gain epistemological accuracy by being derived from direct interaction with political dilemma. Political theory is best understood in the context of political economy."