CiteULike: heraclitus's economics

Economics, realism and reality: a comparison of Mki and Lawson

Hodge — 2008-05-02T11:02:54-00:00

Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 32, No. 2. (27 March 2008), pp. 163-202.

The energy behind Vernon Smith's experimental economics

Lee — 2008-05-02T11:02:54-00:00

Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 32, No. 2. (27 March 2008), pp. 257-271.

When does growth trickle down to the poor? The Indian case

Santonu Basu — 2008-07-25T14:45:36-00:00

Camb. J. Econ., Vol. 32, No. 3. (1 May 2008), pp. 461-477.

A theoretical analysis and several econometric tests have been undertaken to examine whether the trickle down effect took place in rural India over a long time period. We found little evidence to suggest that the trickle down effect had occurred at all; our analysis suggests that the emergence of capital-labour substitution was primarily responsible for preventing growth from reducing poverty. The decline in poverty and a higher growth rate that took place during the late 1970s and 1980s were largely a result of government anti-poverty measures teamed with the more equitable distribution of credit and inputs to smaller and marginal farmers. 10.1093/cje/bem053

The turn in recent economics and return of orthodoxy

John Davis — 2008-07-25T14:44:48-00:00

Camb. J. Econ., Vol. 32, No. 3. (1 May 2008), pp. 349-366.

This paper examines change on the economics research frontier, and asks whether the current competition between new research programmes may be supplanted by a new single dominant approach in the future. The paper discusses whether economics tends to be dominated by a single approach or reflect a pluralism of approaches, and argues that, historically, it has alternated between the two. It argues that orthodoxy usually emerges from heterodoxy, and interprets the division between orthodoxy and heterodoxy in terms of a core-periphery distinction. Regarding recent economics, the paper maps out two different types of combinations of new research programmes as being synchronic or diachronic in nature. It treats the new research programmes as a new kind of heterodoxy, and asks how a new orthodoxy might arise out of this new heterodoxy and traditional heterodoxy. It discusses this question by advancing two views regarding how to different types of combinations in the new research programmes might consolidate along the lines of three shared commitments with traditional heterodoxy to form a new orthodoxy in economics. 10.1093/cje/bem048

Explaining modern economics (as a microcosm of society)

Vinca Bigo — 2008-07-25T14:44:30-00:00

Camb. J. Econ., Vol. 32, No. 4. (1 July 2008), pp. 527-554.

The persistence of mainstream economists with methods of mathematical-deductive modelling that, most agree, do not perform well is something of a puzzle. Here I show this phenomenon to be a special case of (gendered) tendencies in play in society at large, and I offer a psychological explanation. 10.1093/cje/bem058

The Economic Approach to Human Behavior

Gary Becker — 2005-03-27T08:04:32-00:00

(15 September 1978)

<div>Since his pioneering application of economic analysis to racial discrimination, Gary S. Becker has shown that an economic approach can provide a unified framework for understanding all human behavior. In a highly readable selection of essays Becker applies this approach to various aspects of human activity, including social interactions; crime and punishment; marriage, fertility, and the family; and "irrational" behavior. "Becker's highly regarded work in economics is most notable in the imaginative application of 'the economic approach' to a surprising breadth of human activity. Becker's essays over the years have inevitably inspired a surge of research activity in testimony to the richness of his insights into human activities lying 'outside' the traditionally conceived economic markets. Perhaps no economist in our time has contributed more to expanding the area of interest to economists than Becker, and a number of these thought-provoking essays are collected in this book."--Choice Gary Becker was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Science in 1992. </div>

Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, With Special Reference to Education

Gary Becker — 2005-02-27T09:38:47-00:00

(01 December 1993)

<div>Human Capital is Becker's classic study of how investment in an individual's education and training is similar to business investments in equipment. Recipient of the 1992 Nobel Prize in Economic Science, Gary S. Becker is a pioneer of applying economic analysis to human behavior in such areas as discrimination, marriage, family relations, and education. Becker's research on human capital was considered by the Nobel committee to be his most noteworthy contribution to economics. This expanded edition includes four new chapters, covering recent ideas about human capital, fertility and economic growth, the division of labor, economic considerations within the family, and inequality in earnings. "Critics have charged that Mr. Becker's style of thinking reduces humans to economic entities. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Becker gives people credit for having the power to reason and seek out their own best destiny."--Wall Street Journal </div>

Treatise on the Family

Gary Becker — 2005-02-27T09:42:30-00:00

(11 October 2002)

The Economy of Grace

Kathryn Tanner — 2008-06-02T01:19:20-00:00

(02 September 2005)

Are there any fair and viable alternatives to global capitalism? University of Chicago theologian Kathryn Tanner offers here a serious and creative proposal for evaluating economic theory and behavior through a theological lens.

The Catholic Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Michael Novak — 2008-06-02T01:17:22-00:00

(26 March 1993)

Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis

Ludwig Von Mises — 2008-06-02T01:16:58-00:00

(01 January 1981)

Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire

William Cavanaugh — 2008-06-02T00:58:12-00:00

(01 May 2008)

Should Christians be for or against the free market? For or against globalization? How are we to live in a world of scarcity? William Cavanaugh uses Christian resources to incisively address basic economic matters -- the free market, consumer culture, globalization, and scarcity -- arguing that we should not just accept these as givens but should instead change the terms of the debate. Among other things, Cavanaugh discusses how God, in the Eucharist, forms us to consume and be consumed rightly. Examining pathologies of desire in contemporary "free market" economies, Being Consumed puts forth a positive and inspiring vision of how the body of Christ can engage in economic alternatives. At every turn, Cavanaugh illustrates his theological analysis with concrete examples of Christian economic practices.

Capitalism and Freedom

Milton Friedman — 2008-06-02T00:57:41-00:00

(17 December 2002)

Selected by the _Times Literary Supplement_ as one of the "hundred most influential books since the war" How can we benefit from the promise of government while avoiding the threat it poses to individual freedom? In this classic book, Milton Friedman provides the definitive statement of his immensely influential economic philosophy—one in which competitive capitalism serves as both a device for achieving economic freedom and a necessary condition for political freedom. The result is an accessible text that has sold well over half a million copies in English, has been translated into eighteen languages, and shows every sign of becoming more and more influential as time goes on.

Transforming economics into what? Heterodox economics and critical realism

Peacock — 2008-05-02T11:02:54-00:00

Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 32, No. 2. (27 March 2008), pp. 219-233.

The ontology of the economic: an Aristotelian analysis

Crespo — 2006-09-16T18:20:16-00:00

Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 30, No. 5. (15 September 2006), pp. 767-781.

Aristotle in the 21st Century

Steve Fleetwood — 2008-06-01T21:23:24-00:00

Camb. J. Econ., Vol. 21, No. 6. (1 November 1997), pp. 729-744.

This review focuses upon three themes from Aristotle's Economic Thought (Meikle, 1995) to reveal how (i) Aristotle's essentialist metaphysics can assist in clarifying contemporary issues in (ii) value theory and (iii) economics as ethics. Essentialism allows one to pose (adequately) the central question of value, namely: what is the entity that renders incommensurable commodities commensurable? Essentialism, by discouraging the elision of differences between activities with different aims, sharply differentiates between those activities which aim at use value, and those which aim at exchange value. Pursuit of the latter encourages neglect of the former, making it difficult for society to pursue ethical aims.

The Rhetoric of Economics

Donald Mccloskey — 2007-05-24T13:30:21-00:00

Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 21, No. 2. (1983), pp. 481-517.

What Economics Is Not: An Economist's Response to Rosenberg

Douglas Hands — 2008-06-01T18:07:35-00:00

Philosophy of Science, Vol. 51, No. 3. (1984), pp. 495-503.

Alexander Rosenberg (1983) has argued, contrary to his previous work in the philosophy of economics, that economics is not science, and it is merely mathematics. The following paper argues that Rosenberg fails to demonstrate either of these two claims. The questions of the predictive weakness of modern economics and the cognitive standing of abstract economic theory are discussed in detail.

The Market: Ethics, Knowledge and Politics (Economics As Social Theory)

John O'Neill — 2006-01-17T17:40:45-00:00

(09 April 1998)

Following the failure of "really existing socialism" in Eastern Europe and Asia, the market is now generally perceived, by Left and Right, to be supreme in any rational economic system. The current debate now focuses on the proper boundaries of markets rather than the system itself. This book examines the problems of defining these boundaries for the recent defences of the market, and shows that they highlight major weaknesses in the cases made by its proponents. The author draws on considerable research in this area to provide an overdue critical evaluation of the limits of the market, and future prospects for non-market socialism. The issues discussed cross a number of academic boundaries including economics, philosophy and politics.

Economics and Language (Economics As Social Theory)

Willie Henderson — 2005-05-18T16:51:06-00:00

(07 January 1993)

Beyond Rhetoric and Realism in Economics: Towards a Reformulation of Methodology (Economics & Social Theory)

Thomas Boylan — 2008-06-01T18:01:19-00:00

(08 June 1995)

******_Beyond Rhetoric and Realism in Economics_** provides a clear introduction to some of the major debates taking place within the philosophy of economics. The book analyzes two methodological positions that have undermined the hegemony once enjoyed by positivist philosophies. The first position explored is rhetoric, which attacks imperiously prescriptive methodologies and attempts to expand the economic dialogue, often by introducing work from other disciplines. In contrast, the realists take issue with the relativizing tendencies of the rhetoric school and argue that scientific realism is the more compelling framework for economics. While exploring both of these positions, Boylan and O'Gormon demonstrate why neither position is a satisfactory resolution to the methodological issues facing economics. In direct opposition to these positions, the authors construct and develop an alternative framework, which they term "causal holism". With its origins in the work of Quine and van Frassen, this position shifts the focus of attention onto the role of economic models, especially their descriptive adequacy and provides a challenging analysis of economic theory, causality and explanation.

How to Be Human: Through an Economist

Deirdre Mccloskey — 2008-06-01T17:59:37-00:00

(30 November 2000)

In this thoroughly engaging book Deirdre McCloskey puts the "dismal science" under the microscope. She offers advice to young economists, offering models from the old; and she lambastes the middle-aged who have allowed economics to become, as she puts it with characteristic verve, "a boys' game in a sandbox." McCloskey deploys her wit and style to serious purpose: to bring economics back to science. Anyone can learn about the field of economics from _How to Be Human_. She can learn how economics works as a discipline and as a piece of sociology, who the heroes are and the villains, how a career in economics relates to matters of ethics and epistemology. She can learn what it is like to be a new woman in a boys' subject, a subject that avoids at all costs the word "love." During the 1990s Deirdre McCloskey established herself as the main internal critic of the economic mainstream. Her quarterly columns in the _Eastern Economic Journal,_ many of which are collected here, have become a handbook for reform. Trained in economics herself, she knows the normal science of the field from the inside: she has done it as a distinguished economic historian; and has watched it work from the faculties of Chicago (for twelve years) and Iowa (for nineteen), and now at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her criticism from the inside is that the two methods on which economics has depended since the 1940s--existence-theorem mathematics and significance- testing statistics--are nonsense. They have, she claims, nothing to do with economic science, and have massively diverted economists from finding out how the economy works. McCloskey's book is written for anyone interested in economics, whether trained in it or not--anyone who cares about the economy but is not taken in by the boys' game. Deirdre McCloskey is University Professor of the Human Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago.

The Rhetoric of Economics (Rhetoric of the Human Sciences)

Deirdre Mccloskey — 2008-06-01T17:59:09-00:00

(30 April 1998)

Deirdre N. McCloskey teaches economics and history at the University of Iowa and is the Tinbergen Distinguished Professor at Erasmus University of Rotterdam. Author of a dozen books in economics and history, she was formerly known as Donald. Her experience in changing gender is reflected in the new edition, but the message remains the same: economics needs to get serious about its rhetoric, and back to science. *Completely revised *Three new chapters, two new bibliographies *Publishing history: University of Wisconsin Press, 1985

Globalisation and Social Class

JH Goldthorpe — 2008-06-01T15:24:00-00:00

West European Politics, pp. 1-28.

'Grand' theories of globalisation - those that treat globalisation as a social and cultural as well as an economic process - regularly feature claims that fundamental changes are involved in the nature of class inequalities in modern (or 'post-modern') societies, in the form of the class structure itself, and in the relationship between class and politics. The theoretical and empirical bases of such claims are critically examined and are found to be inadequate. Some wider implications of the critique are brought out both for globalisation theorists' notions of 'epochal change' and for their views of the kind of social science that the 'global age' requires.

Chaos and Governance in the Modern World System (Contradictions of Modernity, 10)

Giovanni Arrighi — 2005-04-28T03:07:06-00:00

(01 May 1999)

The Politics of Method in the Human Sciences: Positivism and Its Epistemological Others (Politics, History, & Culture)

2006-07-26T17:47:56-00:00

(15 July 2005)

The Politics of Method in the Human Sciences provides a remarkable comparative assessment of the variations of positivism and alternative epistemologies in the contemporary human sciences. Often declared obsolete, positivism is alive and well in a number of the fields; in others, its influence is significantly diminished. The essays in this collection investigate its mutations in form and degree across the social science disciplines. Looking at methodological assumptions field-by-field, individual essays address anthropology, area studies, economics, history, the philosophy of science, political science and political theory, psychology and psychoanalysis, and sociology. Essayists trace disciplinary developments through the long twentieth century, focusing on the decades since World War II. Contributors explore and contrast some of the major alternatives to positivist epistemologies, including Marxism, psychoanalysis, poststructuralism, narrative theory, and actor-network theory. Almost all of the essays are written by well-known practitioners of the fields discussed. Some essayists approach positivism and anti-positivism via close readings of texts influential in their respective disciplines. Some engage in ethnographies of the present-day human sciences; others are more historical in method. All of them critique contemporary social scientific practice. Together, they trace a trajectory of thought and method running from the past through the present and pointing toward possible futures. Contributors. Andrew Abbott, Daniel Breslau, Michael Burawoy, Andrew Collier , Michael Dutton, Geoff Eley, Anthony Elliott, Stephen Engelmann, Sandra Harding, Emily Hauptmann, Webb Keane, Tony Lawson, Sophia Mihic, Philip Mirowski, Timothy Mitchell, William H. Sewell Jr., Margaret R. Somers, George Steinmetz, Elizabeth Wingrove

The Great Transformation

Karl Polanyi — 2005-04-28T16:51:07-00:00

(01 June 1980)

We Are Everywhere: The Irresistible Rise of Global Anti-capitalism (Notes from Nowhere Editorial)

2008-06-01T15:11:42-00:00

(03 September 2003)

In 1994, indigenous Zapatista rebels emerged from the rainforest shouting "Ya Basta" in defiance of the birth of the North American Free Trade Agreement. This band of women and men rekindled a radical resistance movement that was to inspire a whole new generation. From urban street reclaimers in London and land squatters in Brazil, to Indian farmers protesting GM crops and the Italian White Overall Movement, spontaneous uprisings found a shared enemy—global capital. As events swept from Chiapas to Seattle, Genoa to Bangalore, and summits have been wreathed in tear gas, the new movement has matured into a massive political force—flexible, strategic, and able to resist and adapt to increasingly brutal responses by various states. The editors of this celebratory publishing project have been on the frontline of the movement, working as activists and writers, story chasers and documentarians. A mixture of critical analysis and art book, agitprop, inspirational document, and DIY manual, We Are Everywhere combines innovative graphic design and photographs with texts and interviews with activists, creating a lively, polyphonic insight into the ideas and activities of the movements against capitalism. 10 color and 40 b/w images.

What Is Money? (Routledge Studies in Money & Banking)

2008-06-01T15:05:47-00:00

(21 October 1999)

This volume provocatively rethinks the economics, politics and sociology of money and examines the classic question of what is money. Starting from the two dominant views of money, as neutral instrument and a social relation, _What is Money?_ presents a thematic, interdisciplinary approach which points to a definitive statement on money.

What Do Economists Know?: New Economics of Knowledge (Economics & Social Theory)

Robert Garnett — 2008-06-01T15:05:02-00:00

(26 August 1999)

This volume rethinks the classic question of what, how and for whom economics is produced. Drawing from a range of perspectives it casts fresh light on the relationship between the producers and consumers of economic knowledge.

The Wealth of Nature: How Mainstream Economics Has Failed the Environment

RL Nadeau — 2008-06-01T15:04:30-00:00

(11 July 2003)

"The connections he makes between economies and the natural sciences are as fascintating as they are inspired. His ideas are unique, packed with substance, and bundled together with persuasive arguments." -- Todd Wellnitz, _Ecology_

Time and Money: The Macroeconomics of Capital Structure

Roger Garrison — 2008-06-01T15:03:01-00:00

(01 August 2006)

_Time and Money_ argues persuasively that the troubles which characterise modern capital-intensive economies, particularly the episodes of boom and bust, may best be analysed with the aid of a capital-based macroeconomics. The primary focus of this text is the intertemporal structure of capital, an area that until now has been neglected in favour of labour and money-based macroeconomics.

Remaking the Global Economy: Economic-Geographical Perspectives: Economic-geographical Perspectives

2008-06-01T14:56:47-00:00

(07 August 2003)

**`**This book skillfully navigates the shoals of place and space to explain the intricacies of globalization. For those interested in the changing geography of global capitalism, Peck and Yeung is a "must read"' - **_James H Mittelman, American University _ Remaking the Global Economy** offers a state -of-the-art survey of geographical perspectives on the restructuring and reorganization of the global economy. With contributions from leading figures in the globalization debate, the book explores the latest thinking and research, as well as the enduring controversies, across a range of interrelated issues, including: - firm strategies and business knowledge - interactions between firms and nation states - production and innovation systems - transnationalism and labour markets - state restructuring. Each of the specially commissioned chapters presents interdisciplinary insights into the complex processes of economic globalization and their impact on the organization of firms, markets, industries, regions, and institutions. An integrated and comprehensive account, this is a résumé of the latest work in the literature on globalization that will provide a detailed map of the geography of the global economy. (20060214)

Reconstructing Political Economy: The Great Divide in Economic Thought (Contemporary Political Economy)

William Tabb — 2008-06-01T14:52:37-00:00

(24 June 1999)

Written in a provocative and accessible style, this book examines how the diverse traditions of political economy have conceptualized economic issues, events and theory. Going beyond the orthodoxies of mainstream economics it shows the relevance of political economy to the debates on the economic meaning of our times. It offers fresh insights into such issues as modern theories of growth, the historic relations between state and market and the significance of globalization for modern societies.

The Paradox of Democratic Capitalism: Politics and Economics in American Thought

DF Prindle — 2008-06-01T13:34:37-00:00

(01 September 2006)

A truly interdisciplinary enterprise, The Paradox of Democratic Capitalism examines the interplay of ideas about politics, economics, and law in American society from the pre-revolutionary era to the eve of the September 11 attacks. David F. Prindle argues that while the United States was founded on liberalism, there is constant tension between two ideals of the liberal tradition: capitalism and democracy. Tracing the rise of natural law doctrine from neoclassical economics, Prindle examines the influence of economic development in late medieval society on the emergence of classical liberalism in early America and likens that influence to the impact of orthodox economics on contemporary American society. Prindle also evaluates political, economic, and legal ideas through the lens of his own beliefs. He warns against the emerging extremes of liberal ideology in contemporary American politics, where the right's definition of capitalism excludes interference from democratic publics and the left's definition of democracy excludes a market-based economy.

Piero Sraffa, Unorthodox Economist, 1898-1983: A Biographical Essay (1898-1983 : a Biographical Essay)

Jean Potier — 2008-06-01T13:32:46-00:00

(04 July 1991)

Piero Sraffa's work has given rise to a deep and lasting controversy in economic thought, yet we know surprisingly little about the man behind the theory. A friend of Gramsci, a colleague of Keynes and a correspondent of Wittgenstein, Piero Sraffa made important contributions to economics, politics and philosophy for over sixty years. ******_Piero Sraffa, Unorthodox Economist (1898-1983)_** details the rich and varied intellectual and political life of this key figure in economic theory. Jean-Pierre Potier traces the evolution of Sraffa from his student days, to his extended period as a librarian at Cambridge, to his political development in Italy where he was forced to flee Mussolini's regime. The book gives particular emphasis to Sraffa's relationship with Gramsci, detailing both their protracted and wide-ranging philosophical discussions and his central role in preserving _The Prison Notebooks_. It is for his work in Cambridge that Sraffa is most widely known. The Cambridge he found was on the threshold of the Keynesian revolution, but the contributions he made transcended economics and were to influence Ramsey and Wittgenstein, among others. The book concludes with a discussion of Sraffa's masterworks, the edition of Ricardo's Collected Works, and _Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities._

Piero Sraffa: His Life, Thought and Cultural Heritage (Routledge Studies in the History of Economics)

Alessandro Roncaglia — 2008-06-01T13:32:21-00:00

(24 August 2000)

This important new book illuminates our understanding of Sraffa and his work in three key areas. Firstly, Roncaglia re-examines Sraffa's intellectual biography, including his friendships with Gramsci, Wittgenstein and Keynes. Secondly, the book presents a new interpretation of his main work, _Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities_. Finally, the author provides a survey of the 'Sraffian schools', bringing Italian debates on Sraffa to an English- speaking audience.

New Directions in Economic Methodology (Economics & Social Theory)

2008-06-01T13:28:35-00:00

(16 June 1994)

This book reflects the diversity of recent work in the field of economic methodology. Its contributors are responsible for the major developments in this field and together they give an account of all the major positions which currently prevail in this field.

The Natural Instability of Markets: Expectations, Increasing Returns, and the Collapse of Capitalism

Michael Perelman — 2008-06-01T13:27:04-00:00

As socialist states struggle to transform themselves into market economies and the United States privatizes everything from schooling to policing, the current crises in Russia and East Asia suggest that something might be amiss. In the rush to open societies to the benefits of competition, economists have overlooked the fundamental instability of competitive markets. What had seemed to be an invincible capitalist juggernaut may be reaching its apotheosis. A close look at market economies is more timely and crucial than ever. Michael Perelman argues that capitalism's victory is temporary, based as it is on an unrealistic understanding of the system’s inherent risks. He analyzes the nature and causes of crisis within a market society, and along the way, he re- examines one of capitalism’s most primary and unquestioned tenets, that the more competition there is, the better off society will be.

Marshall's Tendencies: What Can Economists Know? (Eyskens Lecture): What Can Economists Know? (Eyskens Lecture)

J Sutton — 2008-06-01T13:09:04-00:00

(01 February 2002)

The world of economics is a complicated and messy place. Yet modern economic analysis rests on an attempt to represent the world by means of simple mathematical models. To what extent is this possible? How can such a program cope with the fact that economic outcomes are often driven by factors that are notoriously difficult to quantify? Can such mathematical modeling lead us to theories that work? In these lectures, John Sutton explores what he calls the "standard paradigm" that lies at the heart of economic model building, whose roots go back a century to the work of Alfred Marshall. In probing the strengths and limitations of this paradigm, he looks at some of the remarkable successes, as well as deep disappointments, that have flowed from it. For sales in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, contact Leuven University Press at fax (+32)16/32.53.52 or universitaire.pers@upers.kuleuven.ac.be

The Marketplace of Christianity

RB Ekelund — 2008-06-01T13:08:15-00:00

(10 November 2006)

This startlingly original (and sure to be controversial) account of the evolution of Christianity shows that the economics of religion has little to do with counting the money in the collection basket and much to do with understanding the background of today's religious and political divisions. Since religion is a set of organized beliefs, and a church is an organized body of worshippers, it's natural to use a science that seeks to explain the behavior of organizations--economics--to understand the development of organized religion. _The Marketplace of Christianity_ applies the tools of economic theory to illuminate the emergence of Protestantism in the sixteenth century and to examine contemporary religion-influenced issues, including evolution and gay marriage. The Protestant Reformation, the authors argue, can be seen as a successful penetration of a religious market dominated by a monopoly firm--the Catholic Church. The Ninety-five Theses nailed to the church door in Wittenberg by Martin Luther raised the level of competition within Christianity to a breaking point. The Counter-Reformation, the Catholic reaction, continued the competitive process, which came to include "product differentiation" in the form of doctrinal and organizational innovation. Economic theory shows us how Christianity evolved to satisfy the changing demands of consumers-- worshippers. The authors of _The Marketplace of Christianity_ avoid value judgments about religion. They take preferences for religion as given and analyze its observable effects on society and the individual. They provide the reader with clear and nontechnical background information on economics and the economics of religion before focusing on the Reformation and its aftermath. Their analysis of contemporary hot-button issues--science vs. religion, liberal vs. conservative, clerical celibacy, women and gay clergy, gay marriage--offers a vivid illustration of the potential of economic analysis to contribute to our understanding of religion.

Macroeconomic Forecasting: A Sociological Appraisal (Routledge Studies in the Modern World Economy)

Robert Evans — 2008-06-01T13:06:20-00:00

(24 June 1999)

Drawing on interviews with the UK government's Panel of Independent Forecasters, the author shows how economic models, forecasts and policy analysis depend crucially upon the judgements of economists.

Capitalism, Socialism and Radical Political Economy: Essays in Honor of Howard J.Sherman (New Directions in Modern Economics)

2008-06-01T13:02:06-00:00

(20 December 2000)

This volume of new, original essays reflects the lifelong concerns and writings of the person they honor, Professor Howard Sherman. Sherman wrote on a wide range of topics: the causes of recessions, depressions and mass unemployment under capitalism; the difficulties and challenges of establishing viable democratic planning systems under socialism; the down-to- earth realities of economic life in the United States, the Soviet Union and elsewhere; and the theoretical traditions he drew upon to inform these empirical studies, i.e. Keynesianism, institutionalism and, most especially, Marxism. The contributors follow in Sherman's tradition through their careful analysis of topics such as: the long-term trends in contemporary global capitalism; the relationship between Marxism and institutionalism; debates over the usefulness of class analysis; the political economy of financial liberalization; lessons from the demise of socialism in the Soviet Union and China; and the possibilities for advancing a workable egalitarian economic agenda. This book demonstrates the continued vibrancy and relevance of radical political economy as a mode of social scientific analysis. Scholars and students in economics, sociology, history, philosophy and political science will find the essays thought-provoking and informative.

Money, Distribution and Economic Policy: Alternatives to Orthodox Macroeconomics (New Directions in Modern Economics Series)

2008-06-01T13:01:44-00:00

_Money, Distribution and Economic Policy_ takes issue with the inappropriate treatment of money, effective demand and distribution issues in modern mainstream macroeconomics. It presents contributions which are critical of modern orthodoxy and which explore alternative approaches to macroeconomics and economic policy analysis. The contributors explore the following areas: * the development of heterodox theory * the role of money in macroeconomics * the relationship between distribution and aggregate demand * macroeconomic policy issues from a broader heterodox perspective. This study will appeal to scholars, researchers and postgraduate students of macroeconomics and economic policy, money and banking and Post-Keynesian economics.

Keynes' Third Alternative: The Neo-Ricardians and the Post-Keynesians (New Directions in Modern Economics)

Amitava Dutt — 2008-06-01T12:59:23-00:00

(26 July 1990)

How Just Is the Market Economy?

Edward Dommen — 2008-06-01T12:58:05-00:00

(01 December 2003)

Is the Market Moral?: A Dialogue on Religion, Economics and Justice (Pew Forum Dialogues on Religion & Public Life)

Rebecca Blank — 2008-06-01T12:57:33-00:00

(01 July 2003)

In the great tradition of moral argument about the nature of the economic market, Rebecca Blank and William McGurn join to debate the fundamental questions—equality and efficiency, productivity and social justice, individual achievement and personal rights in the workplace, the costs and benefits of corporate and entrepreneurial capitalism. And they do so grounded in both economic sophistication and religious commitment. Rebecca Blank is an economist by training and describes herself as "culturally Protestant in the habits of mind and heart." She has also chaired the committee that wrote the statement on Christian faith and economic life adopted by the United Church of Christ. Addressing market failure, for her, requires that sometimes "freedom to choose" give way to other human values. William McGurn, a journalist and a Roman Catholic, uses his expertise in economics to reflect on the teachings of the church concerning the morality of the market. For McGurn, humans reach their fullest potential when they are free from the constraints of others. He writes that "our quarrel is not so much with Adam Smith or Milton Friedman but with the Providence that so clearly designed man to be his most prosperous at his most free." This book grapples with the new imperatives of a global economy while working in the classic tradition of political economy which always treated seriously the questions of morality, justice, productivity, and freedom.

Ideologies of Globalization: Contending Visions of a New World Order (RIPE Studies in Global Political Economy)

Mark Rupert — 2008-06-01T12:54:45-00:00

(19 October 2000)

'Globalization' is a term which dominates much political discussion at the start of the 21st century and is accepted by many as an inevitable process. However, as recent protests in the United States and elsewhere have demonstrated, there is considerable popular opposition to the much vaunted 'New World Order.' This book examines the key debates about globalization and provides a detailed and incisive analysis of the varied and often contradictory opposition to globablization within the United States.

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

John Perkins — 2007-05-26T16:45:22-00:00

(27 December 2005)

John Perkins started and stopped writing Confessions of an Economic Hit Man four times over 20 years. He says he was threatened and bribed in an effort to kill the project, but after 9/11 he finally decided to go through with this expose of his former professional life. Perkins, a former chief economist at Boston strategic-consulting firm Chas. T. Main, says he was an "economic hit man" for 10 years, helping U.S. intelligence agencies and multinationals cajole and blackmail foreign leaders into serving U.S. foreign policy and awarding lucrative contracts to American business. "Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars," Perkins writes. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is an extraordinary and gripping tale of intrigue and dark machinations. Think John Le Carré, except it's a true story. Perkins writes that his economic projections cooked the books Enron-style to convince foreign governments to accept billions of dollars of loans from the World Bank and other institutions to build dams, airports, electric grids, and other infrastructure he knew they couldn't afford. The loans were given on condition that construction and engineering contracts went to U.S. companies. Often, the money would simply be transferred from one bank account in Washington, D.C., to another one in New York or San Francisco. The deals were smoothed over with bribes for foreign officials, but it was the taxpayers in the foreign countries who had to pay back the loans. When their governments couldn't do so, as was often the case, the U.S. or its henchmen at the World Bank or International Monetary Fund would step in and essentially place the country in trusteeship, dictating everything from its spending budget to security agreements and even its United Nations votes. It was, Perkins writes, a clever way for the U.S. to expand its "empire" at the expense of Third World citizens. While at times he seems a little overly focused on conspiracies, perhaps that's not surprising considering the life he's led. --Alex Roslin The runaway bestseller that has generated a major movie deal—and an international dialogue—with over 170,000 copies sold in hardcover and seven weeks on the New York Times list “Economic hit men,” John Perkins writes,” are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as Empire but one that has taken on terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.” John Perkins should know—he was an economic hit man for an international consulting firm that worked to convince developing countries to accept enormous loans and to funnel that money to U.S.corporations. Once these countries were saddled with huge debts, the American government and international aid agencies were able to request their “pound of flesh” in favors, including access to natural resources, military cooperation, and political support. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is the story of one man's experiences inside the intrigue, greed, corruption and little-known government and corporate activities that America has been involved in since World War II, and which have dire consequences for the future of democracy and the world. “[A] gripping tell-all book.”—The Rocky Mountain News “Astonishing.”—Boston Herald “This riveting look at a world of intrigue reads like a spy novel . . . Highly recommended.”— Library Journal “Here are the real-life details—nasty, manipulative, plain evil—of international corporate skullduggery spun into a tale rivaling the darkest espionage thriller.”—Greg Palast, author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

The Legacy of Scholasticism in Economic Thought: Antecedents of Choice and Power (Historical Perspectives on Modern Economics)

Odd Langholm — 2008-06-01T11:06:36-00:00

(13 February 1998)

This book is a study in the history of economic thought. It deals with the economics of exchange, that is, with prices, wages and interest rates. Those who pay a certain price or interest rate, or work at a certain wage, may agree to do so because they are in economic need. They are thus in a sense compelled and not free to choose. This problem was first discussed by teachers in the medieval universities. This book follows the discussion from the Middle Ages to the present.