Summary and Final Comments

Abstract

It is almost certain that the economy is a complex system. This research uses experiments to begin the process of building basic economic theory assuming the economy is a complex system. Most importantly, it examines how empirically present evolutionary prerequisites of markets and society go on to form evolutionary processes that can dominate price and distribution. While the linear-system economic theory taught in university courses around the world is useful for short-term analyses, it will likely fail in the long-term if the economy is a complex system. Knowledge of how trade behaves in a complex-system is crucial for any economist or policy-maker designing theory or policies for the long-term.