Przedsiębiorca w teorii Josepha A. Schumpetera

Abstract

The article attempts to present in a new way theory formulated by J. A. Schumpeter regarding the most important issues of capitalism: what is the function of an entrepreneur in the capitalistic economy?, what is possible social position of entrepreneurs?, what does make an entrepreneur distinct from a capitalist?, do entrepreneurs form a separate social class?. In the Schumpeter's theory, the existence of entrepreneurs performing a unique social function is typical to the developing capitalism. However, in the contemporary capitalism with its large corporations, the entrepreneurial function will be decreasing. The entrepreneurs will be replaced by specialists and bureaucratic economic structures. This phenomenon can have substantial ramifications resulting eventually in collapse of capitalism. The capitalist society is a specific case of a commercial society. It is determined by a certain institutional structure. This structure consists of such important for both capitalists and entrepreneurs elements as: private ownership of factors of production, regulation of production process through private contracting and credit creation. The possible collapse of capitalism may lead to a socialist society, defined by Schumpeter as an institutional structure in which a central authority controls factors of production and production process itself.