Building a formal model of the effectiveness of modeling in the face of variability in the world

We present a simple model of a crucial phenomena of modern societies: The transition from a local mode of production to a centralized one, leading to economies of scale and mass production, that circulates in long-distance networks. Agents combine two distinct (and limited) resources, time and raw materials, either to produce for self-consumption or to sell on the market. The model shows a rich landscape of diverse production regimes, including mixed regimes where agents optimize utility by combining time spent working for the market, for self-subsistence or by taking time off.