The chief defect of economic theories is their narrowing of the range of relevant evidence that their theory is adequate to cover. Empirical adequacy to cover all cases is an ideal to which theories may aspire, but of course none of the theories that exist are adequate in this sense. The critique offered by Professor Han-Joon Chang and his appeal for a pluralism of theories is a step towards a coherentist approach to economics. I wish him well, but I have my doubts that he will have much influence, either in academe or in "political economy". The need for theories that do not require literacy in order to garner support for careers and political ambitions is too strong. (I admit my gloomy view may have been brought about by my early exposure to the tsunami of "successful" intellectual simplifications that broke over the University of Chicago when I was a law student – or, perhaps more accurately, a "Law and Economics" student, since I certainly wanted not to drown but to survive …🙄)
Economic Pluralism? What kind of a beast is that? You mean let us continue the plunder of the planet and people of the global south and add some other economic plan to this blunder? For how long do we "plularize" before the masses of people the West is murdering run out and the full collapse of eco systems happen? When will you say capitalism has got to be confronted and abolished? Oh wait, you never will. You are an academic, this whole system of abuse is built on the likes of you helping the capitalist kill machine.
Well done Cambridge. I remember the student activism at Manchester which came to nought
Very nice and necessary for all to understand how the real world works …
The chief defect of economic theories is their narrowing of the range of relevant evidence that their theory is adequate to cover. Empirical adequacy to cover all cases is an ideal to which theories may aspire, but of course none of the theories that exist are adequate in this sense. The critique offered by Professor Han-Joon Chang and his appeal for a pluralism of theories is a step towards a coherentist approach to economics. I wish him well, but I have my doubts that he will have much influence, either in academe or in "political economy". The need for theories that do not require literacy in order to garner support for careers and political ambitions is too strong. (I admit my gloomy view may have been brought about by my early exposure to the tsunami of "successful" intellectual simplifications that broke over the University of Chicago when I was a law student – or, perhaps more accurately, a "Law and Economics" student, since I certainly wanted not to drown but to survive …🙄)
Economic Pluralism? What kind of a beast is that? You mean let us continue the plunder of the planet and people of the global south and add some other economic plan to this blunder? For how long do we "plularize" before the masses of people the West is murdering run out and the full collapse of eco systems happen? When will you say capitalism has got to be confronted and abolished? Oh wait, you never will. You are an academic, this whole system of abuse is built on the likes of you helping the capitalist kill machine.