Civilization Capital Theory: A Human Life-Centered Theory of Capital

Abstract

This paper proposes Civilization Capital Theory (CCT), a human life-centered theoretical framework for understanding capital as the accumulated stock of natural, physical, human, institutional, technological, intellectual, social, and cultural resources and capacities that enables a society to protect, sustain, improve, and transmit human life across generations. The paper develops a dynamic model of Civilization Capital accumulation and introduces three proposed analytical constructs: the Civilization Capital Index (CCI), the Civilization Success Index (CSI), and Civilization Conversion Efficiency (CCE). It also formulates theoretical propositions and testable hypotheses concerning the relationship between civilizational capacity, economic production, and human-life outcomes. A central argument of the theory is that economic growth should not be treated as synonymous with civilizational progress. A society may increase current economic output while simultaneously depleting natural, institutional, infrastructural, social, or other forms of capital required for future human well-being. The framework builds upon and integrates insights from human capital theory, social capital theory, natural capital, institutional economics, ecological economics, and comprehensive wealth accounting. Its distinctive contribution is to organize these forms of capital within a common human-life-centered and intergenerational framework. This Version 1.0 is a theoretical research publication. The proposed indices, principles, and hypotheses are presented as theoretical constructs for future empirical investigation and are not claimed to constitute empirically validated findings.