Economics and its Discontents

Twentieth Century Dissenting Economists

Edited by Richard P.F. Holt, Professor of Economics and University Seminar, Southern Oregon University, US and Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics and Finance, Monmouth University, US

In Economics and its Discontents each chapter explains what it means to be a dissenting economist and examines how and why the work of the featured economist constitutes dissent. It demonstrates that dissent in the profession extends beyond ideology and that dissenters can come from radical, liberal or conservative backgrounds. Dissent is considered in many respects, including how economics is taught, the methodology of economic analysis, the lack of attention economists pay to the real world behaviour of individuals, the narrow and limited assumptions made by economists, the inappropriate attempt of economics to dominate all social sciences, and the policy conclusions reached by standard economic analysis. The dissenters featured in this book suggest that there is a better way to do economics, and a better way to be an economist, and each has helped keep economics honest by constantly questioning traditional thinking. This book salutes and celebrates these dissenters who exemplify the very best of the discipline. If economics is again to be a respected field and a highly regarded profession, we must look to these dissenters to point the way forward.

‘This is a fine collection. . . . These are good, thought-provoking essays, much more than the personal biographies one might expect in a book about economists. I learned from these essays and recommend the book without reservation.’
– William S. Brown, Review of Political Economy

‘. . . the essays overall are of high quality . . . a stimulating, timely, and disquieting collection.’
– G.C. Harcourt, The Economic Journal

‘As usual, the Edward Elgar book production is excellent in format and presentation. . . . The index is detailed and serves a very useful purpose in such a broad ranging book. . . . Holt and Pressman do an excellent job of having a very diverse group of authors raise the whole issue of the nature of dissent and how it applies to great intellectuals in economics over one hundred years.’
– Jerry Courvisanos, History of Economics Review

‘This work will be beneficial to students studying the history of economic thought or professionals interested in investigating eclectic points of view.’
——J.M. Nowakowski选择