構造からレギュラシオンヘ : レギュラシオン・アプローチの方法論的革新性とは何か

抄録

The Regulation approach (hereinafter abbreviated as RA), which was born as an innovative approach in political economy in France, has been considered to have its theoretical base on the structuralism. However, it seems that, with a growing awareness of "microeconomics basis of institutional economics," the structuralist methodology has lost its importance in RA in recent years. Furthermore, it has become necessary, in its theoretical "grapple" with the strategic game theory, that the definition and proper aspects of RA should be reexamined fundamentally, although it has been said that many concepts of this approach will overcome the concept of equilibrium. From the view mentioned above, this paper examines the following themes. First, it surveys how the structuralist approach has been incorporated in economics and shifted to an institutional approach. Secondly, it briefly shows the history of the RA theory, and explores how and with what incidents RA drew near to the equilibrium theory, by referring to the latest investigation of Bruno Amable. Lastly, the paper shows that RA still has its superiority in political economy, and is made more significant by Bruno Theret, who proposes an original construction of the Regulation concept. The conclusion drawn from the above considerations is as follows. First, if the structuralist approach is adopted, an "institution" will be regarded not only as an element which stabilizes the system, but also as an element that reproduces the system, as well as an element that structures the system. Secondly, according to Theret, the Mode of Regulation which consists of institutional forms is defined as "symbolic mediation." An actual institution as a practical norm of all behavior is always an "symbolic," relative and ambiguous mediation. Institutions introduced into the system of social economy according to about the same grand design bring about different consequences under different conditions because institutions cannot avoid "polysemic" interpretation in practical level. This polysemy suggests that an institution may be corrected and transformed, depending on the social conditions in which it finds itself. Such a quality of an institution also creates the possibility that the system of social economy may overcome its structural limitations. An institution, which exists as a "structural reflection," so to speak, in real society, functions not only as a "closed entity" in practical level, but also as an "open entity," open to economy, politics and other systems in practical order. This gives a chance that a system of social economy may transform in institutional forms. Such "mediating" institutional forms that may, in an ensemble, bring convergence and divergence to a practical order constitute the Mode of Reguration. By using such a definition for the Mode of Regulation, it is possible to analyze the dynamic state of the whole social economy including political and cultural aspects. This definition is particularly useful in discussing the effective range of an economic policy.