“Cultural Conflict”: Problem and Resolution Readdressed in Terms of Property Rights
“Cultural Conflict”: Problem and Resolution Readdressed in Terms of Property Rights

Summary/Abstract: Within the classical dichotomy between “culture” and “civilization”, in some narrow sense, the first term is held responsible for conflict propensity (for it is what coagulates communities, sometimes along with exalted differentiation), while the second is endowed with the great wisdom of disciplining clashes (since the division of labour in society is the very basis for productive cooperation, to speak of economic civilization). Even if this picture does not necessarily do justice to culture, which has a far greater bright side, and neglects the selective nature of economic competition among cultures, what should not be missed when speaking of ethnic, religious or territorial cultural identity is the conflict-spurring scarcity of resources, that is ultimately reducible and solvable in the logic of clearly defined and properly enforced property rights.

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