Strong, Weak, and Zero-Sum: A Commonsean Solution to Maffeo Pantaleoni's Quest for Contractual Settlements

The paper explores Maffeo Pantaleoni's 1898 essay, focusing on his analysis of why rational agents enter mutualistic agreements, i.e. contracts, despite common predatory and parasitic behaviors. Pantaleoni classifies social relationships into predatory, parasitic, and mutualistic categories, anticipating the zero-sum logic where wealth is redistributed rather than created. The paper highlights the limitations of Pantaleoni's neglect of the legal system in shaping contracts, contrasting his ideas with legal realism, which emphasizes law's role in reducing transaction costs. It also connects Pantaleoni's work with John Rogers Commons's theory, extending his ideas into modern institutional economics.