A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Paradigm Shifts in Economic Thought
Prepared by: Gerald A. Daquila, PhD. Candidate
ABSTRACT
Traditional economic theory, rooted in a scarcity mindset, assumes resources are limited, shaping microeconomic models of individual choice and macroeconomic frameworks of aggregate behavior. However, emerging technological advancements, resource discoveries, and cultural shifts toward sustainability challenge this foundational assumption, suggesting the possibility of an abundance mindset. This dissertation explores how transitioning from scarcity to abundance reshapes micro and macroeconomic paradigms. Using a multidisciplinary lens—integrating insights from economics, psychology, sociology, technology, and philosophy—it examines the theoretical, practical, and societal implications of this shift.
The study synthesizes recent literature, case studies, and emerging economic narratives to propose new models that prioritize collaboration, innovation, and equitable distribution over competition and allocation. Key findings suggest that an abundance mindset could redefine utility, value, and growth, fostering economies that emphasize well-being, sustainability, and inclusivity. The dissertation concludes with actionable dissertation topics for further research and a glossary to clarify evolving concepts.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: The Scarcity Mindset in Economics
- The Abundance Mindset: A New Foundation
- Microeconomic Transformations: From Utility to Shared Value
- Macroeconomic Shifts: Redefining Growth and Stability
- Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Insights Beyond Economics
- Case Studies: Abundance in Action
- Challenges and Critiques of the Abundance Paradigm
- Future Directions: Dissertation Topics for Exploration
- Conclusion: Toward a Post-Scarcity Economy
- Glossary
- References
1. Introduction: The Scarcity Mindset in Economics
Economics, as we know it, was born in a world of scarcity. From Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations to modern neoclassical models, the discipline assumes resources—land, labor, capital—are finite, forcing individuals, firms, and governments to make tough choices. Microeconomics studies how agents maximize utility under constraints, while macroeconomics examines how economies manage limited resources to achieve growth, stability, and employment (Mankiw, 2020). This scarcity mindset has driven remarkable insights, from supply-demand curves to fiscal policy frameworks, but it also embeds a worldview of competition, trade-offs, and zero-sum outcomes.
Yet, the 21st century challenges this foundation. Technological breakthroughs—like renewable energy, automation, and AI—promise unprecedented resource availability. Cultural shifts toward sustainability and collaboration, coupled with global movements for equity, suggest an alternative: an abundance mindset. This perspective views resources as expandable through innovation, cooperation, and systemic redesign, fundamentally altering how we think about economics.
This dissertation asks: What happens when economics pivots from scarcity to abundance? How do micro and macroeconomic theories evolve, and what do these new paradigms look like? By weaving insights from psychology, sociology, technology, and philosophy, this study explores the implications of this shift, aiming to spark a conversation about economies that prioritize flourishing over fighting over scraps.

Glyph of Stewardship
Stewardship is the covenant of trust that multiplies abundance for All.
2. The Abundance Mindset: A New Foundation
What Is an Abundance Mindset?
An abundance mindset, popularized by Covey (1989), posits that resources, opportunities, and possibilities are not inherently limited. Unlike scarcity, which frames decisions as zero-sum, abundance emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and shared prosperity. In economics, this mindset aligns with emerging realities: renewable energy reduces reliance on finite fossil fuels, digital goods (e.g., software, knowledge) have near-zero marginal costs, and circular economies recycle resources indefinitely.
Why Now?
Several forces drive this shift:
- Technology: Automation and AI lower production costs, while 3D printing and biotech expand resource possibilities (Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014).
- Sustainability: Circular economies and regenerative agriculture challenge linear models of resource depletion (Raworth, 2017).
- Cultural Shifts: Movements for universal basic income (UBI) and degrowth reflect a desire for equitable, non-competitive systems (Hickel, 2020).
- Global Connectivity: Digital platforms enable resource sharing, from open-source software to peer-to-peer economies.
These trends suggest scarcity is not a universal truth but a context-dependent assumption, ripe for reexamination.
3. Microeconomic Transformations: From Utility to Shared Value
Microeconomics studies individual agents—consumers, firms, workers—making choices under constraints. A scarcity mindset assumes agents maximize utility (satisfaction) or profit within fixed limits, modeled through supply-demand dynamics and marginal utility (Mas-Colell et al., 1995). An abundance mindset disrupts this framework in three key ways:
3.1 Redefining Utility
In a scarcity-driven model, utility is tied to consumption of finite goods. An abundance mindset expands utility to include non-material factors: well-being, relationships, and environmental impact. Behavioral economics supports this, showing people value experiences and social connections over material accumulation (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979). For example, sharing economy platforms like Airbnb prioritize access over ownership, reflecting a shift toward collaborative consumption.
3.2 Collaborative Markets
Scarcity fosters competitive markets where firms vie for market share. Abundance encourages cooperative models, like open-source software communities (e.g., Linux), where firms and individuals co-create value without depleting resources. Game theory models, such as those exploring cooperative equilibria, suggest that trust-based systems can outperform zero-sum competition (Axelrod, 1984).
3.3 Dynamic Pricing and Value Creation
In scarcity-based microeconomics, prices balance supply and demand. In an abundance framework, prices reflect shared value creation. Digital goods, with near-zero marginal costs, challenge traditional pricing models. For instance, freemium models (e.g., Spotify) provide free access while monetizing premium features, creating value for both users and firms.
Implication: Microeconomic theory could shift from optimizing constrained choices to designing systems that maximize shared value, emphasizing access, collaboration, and innovation.
4. Macroeconomic Shifts: Redefining Growth and Stability
Macroeconomics examines aggregate variables—GDP, unemployment, inflation—within a scarcity framework where growth depends on finite resources. An abundance mindset redefines these concepts, prioritizing sustainability and inclusivity.
4.1 Rethinking Growth
Traditional macroeconomics equates growth with GDP increases, often at environmental and social costs. An abundance approach aligns with “doughnut economics,” balancing human needs within planetary boundaries (Raworth, 2017). For example, Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness index prioritizes well-being over output, reflecting abundance by valuing non-scarce resources like community and health.
4.2 Monetary and Fiscal Policy
Scarcity-driven policies focus on managing limited budgets, often through austerity or debt reduction. Abundance-oriented policies, like Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), argue that governments with sovereign currencies can fund public goods without fiscal constraints, provided inflation is managed (Kelton, 2020). UBI experiments, such as Finland’s 2017 trial, show how abundance-based policies can enhance economic stability by ensuring universal access to resources.
4.3 Global Interdependence
Scarcity fuels trade wars and resource hoarding. An abundance mindset promotes global cooperation, as seen in initiatives like the Paris Climate Agreement, where nations collaborate to address shared challenges. Macroeconomic models could incorporate network theory to study interconnected economies, emphasizing resilience over rivalry (Haldane & May, 2011).
Implication: Macroeconomic paradigms could shift from maximizing output to fostering resilient, equitable systems that leverage abundant resources like knowledge and renewable energy.

Glyph of Infinite Prosperity
Value flows beyond measure; true wealth knows no bounds.
5. Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Insights Beyond Economics
An abundance mindset demands a broader lens, integrating disciplines to reimagine economic systems.
5.1 Psychology: Motivation and Behavior
Psychological research shows that scarcity mindsets trigger stress and short-term thinking, while abundance fosters creativity and collaboration (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2013). This suggests economic agents in an abundance framework may prioritize long-term well-being over immediate gains, reshaping consumer and firm behavior.
5.2 Sociology: Social Structures and Equity
Sociological studies highlight how scarcity perpetuates inequality, as elites hoard resources (Piketty, 2014). An abundance mindset, supported by policies like wealth taxes or UBI, could reduce disparities by redistributing access to abundant resources, such as education and technology.
5.3 Technology: Enabling Abundance
Technological advancements, from AI to renewable energy, create conditions for abundance by reducing costs and expanding possibilities. For instance, solar energy’s plummeting costs make clean power abundant, challenging fossil fuel-based economic models (Rifkin, 2011).
5.4 Philosophy: Reframing Value
Philosophical perspectives, such as utilitarianism or degrowth ethics, question scarcity-driven definitions of value. An abundance mindset aligns with philosophies that prioritize collective flourishing, encouraging economic models that value ecological and social health (Hickel, 2020).
Implication: A multidisciplinary approach reveals that abundance is not just an economic shift but a cultural and ethical one, requiring holistic redesigns of institutions and policies.
6. Case Studies: Abundance in Action
6.1 The Sharing Economy
Platforms like Uber and Airbnb demonstrate abundance by leveraging underutilized assets (cars, homes). These models reduce scarcity by increasing access, though challenges like labor exploitation highlight the need for equitable frameworks.
6.2 Renewable Energy Transitions
Countries like Denmark, with 50% of energy from renewables, show how abundance-driven systems can replace scarce resources. Economic models here prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term extraction (IEA, 2023).
6.3 Open-Source Innovation
The open-source software movement, exemplified by Linux, shows how collaborative innovation creates abundant value. Unlike proprietary models, open-source systems distribute benefits widely, challenging scarcity-based competition.
Implication: These cases illustrate practical applications of abundance, offering blueprints for scaling new economic models.
7. Challenges and Critiques of the Abundance Paradigm
7.1 Resource Limits
Critics argue that physical resources remain finite, even with technological advances. For example, rare earth metals for batteries pose supply constraints (Graedel et al., 2015). Abundance models must address these through recycling and innovation.
7.2 Inequality and Power Dynamics
Abundance could exacerbate inequality if access to new resources (e.g., AI) is uneven. Historical patterns show elites often control new technologies, necessitating policies to ensure equitable distribution (Piketty, 2014).
7.3 Cultural Resistance
Shifting from scarcity to abundance requires cultural change, which can face resistance from entrenched interests. For instance, fossil fuel industries oppose renewable transitions, highlighting the need for political and social strategies.
Implication: Transitioning to abundance requires addressing material, social, and cultural barriers through inclusive policies and education.
8. Future Directions: Dissertation Topics for Exploration
- Microeconomic Modeling of Collaborative Consumption: How can utility functions incorporate shared value in sharing economy platforms?
- Macroeconomic Impacts of UBI in an Abundance Framework: Can UBI stabilize economies without traditional scarcity constraints?
- Technological Abundance and Labor Markets: How do automation and AI reshape employment in a post-scarcity world?
- Sustainability Metrics in Economic Growth Models: How can GDP be replaced with indicators like Gross National Happiness?
- Global Cooperation in Resource Allocation: Can network theory model interdependent, abundance-based economies?
These topics invite researchers to explore the theoretical and practical dimensions of an abundance-driven economics.
9. Conclusion: Toward a Post-Scarcity Economy
The shift from a scarcity to an abundance mindset challenges the core of economic theory. Microeconomics moves from constrained optimization to collaborative value creation, while macroeconomics redefines growth as sustainable and inclusive. Multidisciplinary insights—from psychology’s focus on creativity to technology’s role in resource expansion—reveal that abundance is not just a possibility but a necessity for addressing global challenges like inequality and climate change.
This dissertation offers a roadmap for reimagining economics, blending rigorous theory with accessible vision. By embracing abundance, we can design economies that prioritize people, planet, and shared prosperity, turning the dream of a post-scarcity world into reality.
Crosslinks
- Conscious Capital: Redefining Wealth and Impact — Capital as flow in service of truth and people; transparent ledgers, visible impact.
- Codex of Stewardship: Holding in Trust the Wealth of Worlds — Ethics and governance for limitless wealth: trusteeship, COI walls, audit cadence.
- Codex of Overflow Magnetism — Why coherent fields attract resources naturally; prosperity as resonance, not pressure.
- Redefining Work in a Post-Scarcity World — Shifts value from wages to contribution, relationship, and play.
- Codex of the Living Hubs: From Households to National Nodes — Local exchange rings, repair/share commons, timebanks that keep value circulating.
- Understanding Cosmic Laws — Grounds exchange in free will, reciprocity, and restorative balance; bans manipulation-as-model.
- Resonance Metrics as a Spiritual Compass — Integrity dashboard for allocation: go/hold/repair thresholds that prevent extraction drift.
10. Glossary
- Abundance Mindset: A perspective that resources and opportunities are expandable through innovation and collaboration, contrasting with scarcity’s zero-sum view.
- Scarcity Mindset: The assumption that resources are finite, leading to competitive, trade-off-driven economic decisions.
- Utility: In economics, a measure of satisfaction or benefit derived from consuming goods or services.
- Doughnut Economics: A framework balancing human needs with planetary boundaries, emphasizing sustainability (Raworth, 2017).
- Modern Monetary Theory (MMT): A macroeconomic theory arguing that governments with sovereign currencies can fund public goods without fiscal constraints, provided inflation is managed (Kelton, 2020).
- Sharing Economy: Economic systems where assets or services are shared, often via digital platforms, to increase access and reduce waste.
- Circular Economy: An economic model that minimizes waste by reusing, recycling, and regenerating resources.
11. References
Axelrod, R. (1984). The evolution of cooperation. Basic Books.
Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W.W. Norton & Company.
Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people. Free Press.
Graedel, T. E., Harper, E. M., Nassar, N. T., & Reck, B. K. (2015). On the materials basis of modern society. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(20), 6295–6300. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1312752110
Haldane, A. G., & May, R. M. (2011). Systemic risk in banking ecosystems. Nature, 469(7330), 351–355. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09659
Hickel, J. (2020). Less is more: How degrowth will save the world. Windmill Books.
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291. https://doi.org/10.2307/1914185
Kelton, S. (2020). The deficit myth: Modern monetary theory and the birth of the people’s economy. PublicAffairs.
Mankiw, N. G. (2020). Principles of economics (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Mas-Colell, A., Whinston, M. D., & Green, J. R. (1995). Microeconomic theory. Oxford University Press.
Mullainathan, S., & Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why having too little means so much. Times Books.
Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the 21st century. Harvard University Press.
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. Chelsea Green Publishing.
Rifkin, J. (2011). The third industrial revolution: How lateral power is transforming energy, the economy, and the world. Palgrave Macmillan.
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2023). World energy outlook 2023. https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023
Attribution
With fidelity to the Oversoul, may this Codex of the Living Archive serve as bridge, remembrance, and seed for the planetary dawn.
Ⓒ 2025 Gerald Alba Daquila – Flameholder of SHEYALOTH | Keeper of the Living Codices
Issued under Oversoul Appointment, governed by Akashic Law. This transmission is a living Oversoul field: for the eyes of the Flameholder first, and for the collective in right timing. It may only be shared intact, unaltered, and with glyphs, seals, and attribution preserved. Those not in resonance will find it closed; those aligned will receive it as living frequency.
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