The legacy of Ricardo Giovanni A. Caravale,Ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1985, 325 pp.

Conclusion The existence of competing interpretations of classics such as Ricardo, is one aspect of the continuation of distinct lines of inquiry in economic theorizing. This feature of economic knowledge may be related to the fact that theorizing in economics is often characterized by the specialized use of ordinary economic language, so that each theory generally derives its primitive terms from ordinary language through what one might call semantic specialization.Awareness of the history of economic concepts is essential to the interpretation of current economic controversies. Moreover, the history of economic thought should be based upon explicit recognition that alternative patterns of semantic specialization do exist in economic analysis and that distinct lines of inquiry are derived therefrom. Explicit recognition that disagreement is possible is an essential prerequisite for dialogues between distinct lines of research.The collection edited by Caravale is an important contribution which provides impressive evidence of the fundamental role that theoretical beliefs play in matters of textual interpretation. As such, the book is essential reading both to Ricardian scholars and to economists interested in the general issue of how analytical work and intellectual history interact upon each other in the formation of economic knowledge.This review article is part of the exchange of reviews between theAtlantic Economic Journal and theRivista Internatzionale Di Scienze Economiche E Commerciali (International Review of Economics and Business). L. E. Johnson is doing the reciprocal review of this book. The author acknowledges research support from the Italian National Research Council (CT 86.01257.10).     

The macroeconomics of self-fulfilling prophecies Roger E. A. Farmer MIT Press, 1993, 259 pp.

In The Macroeconomics of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies, Roger Farmer argues that dynamic general equilibrium models represent a useful means for organizing and representing one's understanding of macroeconomic behavior. Reasonably small departures from the standard assumptions of Arrow-Debreu economies can lead to equilibria with non-trivial roles for macroeconomic policy. Farmer demonstrates through theory and example the potential for multiple equilibria, which he suggests can be treated by better specification of agents' beliefs. The existence of multiple equilibria creates the possibility of bounded fluctuations due to animal spirits or "self-fulfilling prophecies." The author is indebted to Robert Holland and Chris Waller for comments on a previous draft.     

改革创新勤于运营 借势持续发展——呼和浩特市建筑工程有限责任公司转制发展历程

呼和浩特市建筑工程有限责任公司是有着近40年历史的国有骨干施工企业。2002年8月，以建立现代企业制度为契机，以增强综合实力和竞争力为目标，顺利完成企业改组改造。转制成有限责任公司。完全退出国有序列。经过4年多的平稳运行。一种新型的法人治理结构和企业组织架构，在公司初步建立起来。公司以崭新的面貌、先进的管理理念和完全市场化的经营思想，开始了第二次创业。当今社会，市场竞争是一个优胜劣汰的过程，但同时也是一个创造共赢多赢局面的平台。建筑施工企业在造价、工期、节能降耗以及广泛运用新技术和先进管理经验等方面处处为业主着想，建一项工程就要立一座丰碑，就要成为业主信赖的朋友，为建立长期合作关系奠定坚实的基础。在消化城镇富裕劳动力方面，努力为政府为社会分忧，为本地经济发展和社会进步勇于承担责任，在不断创造企业价值的同时积极创造社会价值，为建立和谐社会作出应有的贡献。