Capitalism in six Westerns by John Ford

The economic and institutional analysis of capitalism can be illustrated through John Ford's Westerns. This article focuses on six classics by Ford that show the move toward modern order, the creation of a new society, and the rule of law. Economic features are pervading, from property rights a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of economic education 2011-01, Vol.42 (2), p.181-194
Main Author: Braun, Carlos Rodríguez
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Capitalism
Civil society
economic institutions
ECONOMIC INSTRUCTION
Economics
Economics education
Eigentumsrecht
Entrepreneurs
Film criticism
Filmwirtschaft
Ford, John (1894-1973)
Infrastruktur
Institution
Kapitalismus
Legends
Movies
Politics
property rights
Social Systems
Society
Stagecoaches
Studies
U.S. history
United States History
USA
Violence
Wagons
Westerns
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Summary:The economic and institutional analysis of capitalism can be illustrated through John Ford's Westerns. This article focuses on six classics by Ford that show the move toward modern order, the creation of a new society, and the rule of law. Economic features are pervading, from property rights and contracts to markets, money, and trade. Ford has been depicted as a radical critic of capitalism, but his views prove to be more subtle, and they present the ingredients of capitalism in a prepolitical world, a world with private settlers aiming to build new communities in a hostile environment, frequently with no political institutions apart from the Army and where civil society-or pre-civil society-dominated.
ISSN:0022-0485
2152-4068
DOI:10.1080/00220485.2011.555721