Thinking Like an Economist: The Neoliberal Politics of the Economics Textbook

This article surveys 10 introductory economics textbooks to examine whether and how economics contributed to the rise of neoliberalism. It defines neoliberalism as a political rationality characterized by market constructivism. In contrast with conventional liberal approaches that view limited government as legitimized by the failure of naturalist markets, neoliberalism constructs the market as norm and means of government. Economics textbooks overall have a liberal outlook, as exemplified by Samuelson's classic, however, with three liberal subgenres: the imperfect market view, the free market view, and an institutionalist view. While the introductory textbook cannot be construed as an instruction manual for neoliberalism, the article nevertheless identifies two important neoliberal moments: the discussion of market-based forms of government and the rise of a new genre of principles textbook that urges students to “think like an economist.” The article concludes with novel insights on how economics may have contributed to the spread of neoliberalism.     

Friedrich List and the Imperial origins of the national economy

This essay offers a critical reexamination of the works of Friedrich List by placing them in the context of nineteenth-century imperial economies. I argue that List's theory of the national economy is characterised by a major ambivalence, as it incorporates both imperial and anti-imperial elements. On the one hand, List pitted his national principle against the British imperialism of free trade and the relations of dependency it heralded for late developers like Germany. On the other hand, his economic nationalism aimed less at dismantling imperial core–periphery relations as a whole than at reproducing these relations domestically and expanding them globally. I explain this ambivalence with reference to List's designation of imperial Britain as the prime example of successful economic development and a model to be emulated by late industrialisers. List thereby fashioned his ideas on national development out of the historical experience of an empire whereby he internalised its economic logic and discourse of the civilising mission. Consequently, List's national economy culminated in an early vision of the global north–south relations, in which the global industrial-financial core would expand to include France, Germany and the USA, while the rest of the world would be reduced to quasi-colonial agrarian hinterlands.     

Spaces of the Expelled as Spaces of the Urban Commons? Analysing the Re‐emergence of Squatting Initiatives in Rome

Asserting the need to acknowledge the role of the current crisis and austerity politics in fostering the re‐emergence of squatting initiatives in Rome, this article brings together the literature on squatting as an urban social movement, notably Martínez López's holistic approach, with a political economy perspective analysing the current stage of ‘late neoliberalism’. In so doing, I use the conceptualization of ‘expulsions’ developed by Sassen to show how emerging squatting initiatives in Rome represent the ‘spaces of the expelled’. Focusing on the case of Communia in San Lorenzo neighbourhood, the article shows how Martínez López's approach is able to account for the rapid success and support enjoyed by Communia, going as it does beyond the ‘single‐issue’ perspective that has dominated much of the squatting literature. Indeed, the main claims addressed by Communia activists concern a plurality of issues grouped around the concept of urban commons, as both a practice and a goal. Methodologically, the article is the result of 18 months of fieldwork based on an activist/participatory action research (PAR) approach, comprising participant observation/observant participation, in‐depth interviews and questionnaires.     

‘Catholic in its faith,Catholic in its manner of conceiving science’: French Catholic political economy in the 1830s

Abstract

This paper addresses a group of Catholic political economists in France in the 1830s, which was described by the Dublin Review as ‘Catholic in its faith, and Catholic in its manner of conceiving science’. A first section clarifies how contemporaries perceived this group. This is followed by an analysis of Villeneuve-Bargemont's Economie politique Chrétienne in order to outline a standard Catholic approach to political economy. Finally, that standard is used to chart the work of other Catholic economists within that group and to contrast it with the approach followed by other contemporary social political economists.     

Realistic Idealism and The Project of Political Economy

This paper explores the constraints that should inform understandings of which political economic institutions are both economically and political feasible and ethically attractive. Focusing on cognitive constraints and motivational constraints, it suggests that the classical liberal ideal of a society based largely on voluntary exchanges within a minimalist conception of justice comes closest to matching the terms of a ‘realistic idealism’.     

THE ORANGE BOOK,THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM

Despite the Liberal Democrat's party heritage and despite the efforts of those who wrote The Orange Book, the party still has difficulty embracing economic liberalism. The state is often seen as benign or even virtuous and there is huge caution when it comes to taxation, public service reform and deregulation which results from other priorities being put before economic growth. Indeed, even some of The Orange Book authors have produced mixed results when they have had opportunities in the coalition government.     

西方17～18世纪传统自由主义理念中的个人权利学说及宪政内涵

传统自由主义理论架构是个人主义、自然权利、社会契约及有限政府,其中理性主义和个人主义是理论基础,自然权利是其理论起点,社会契约是国家和政治权力产生和出现的理论假说,以此为基础得出了立宪政府的结论。自由主义本质上是以捍卫个人权利为主旨,以此界定国家与个人关系,寻求政治权力合法性,构建西方社会统治秩序的学说以及与之相应的社会政治制度安排。     

正确认识和对待马克思主义经济学与西方经济学

在当前经济学的教学与研究中西方经济学的影响上升、马克思主义经济学的指导地位被削弱和边缘化的原因，除了国内外环境的影响外，也与人们对马克思主义经济学和西方经济学缺乏正确的认识有关。应该认识到，马克思主义经济学的理论体系反映了无产阶级和广大劳动人民的利益，是为无产阶级进行革命和建设并最终实现社会主义和共产主义的伟大理想服务的、完整的科学理论体系，其阶级性和科学性是统一的；而西方经济学反映资产阶级的利益并为维护资本主义私有制的统治服务，是具有辩护性的、非科学的理论体系。因此，在社会主义国家，占据主导地位的经济学只能是马克思主义经济学，同时，马克思主义经济学也要吸收和借鉴西方经济学的合理成分，不断地丰富和发展自己。     

自由主义思潮对法学理论构成和发展的影响

在总结自由主义思潮的发展和流派的基础上,从其对近代法学理论构成和发展的影响以及法学理论发展中对自由主义的反思,客观认识西方政治思想领域的这一文化现象,并正确看待和科学分析。     

后危机时代的经济治理机制创新:市场与政府有效融合

市场的功能与政府的作用是经济学界长期争论的焦点问题之一,不同的经济学派观点对应不同的经济治理模式.市场和政府既各自发挥作用同时又存在失灵,经济治理机制的创新就是要在合理的边界将二者有效融合,“中国模式”的成就和金融海啸的爆发从正反两方面验证了现代市场经济应该是市场与政府两只手的有机结合.后危机时代经济治理机制的创新路径选择必须从以下方面入手:市场是配置资源的基础性手段,政府的作用应该体现在对经济运行的控制力上,同时必须明确界定政府权力的边界.