Social Economics: An Alternative Theory (Paperback, 1st ed. 1991)

Part 1 Introduction to social economics: the field of economics, and systems of theory therein; a projection of the goals and methods of social economics; welfare, production, development and change - a projection for social economics; individuals and institutions in social economics; building anew (selectively) on the economics of Alfred Marshall. Part 2 Textual analysis, and reality in the social sciences: the stumbling blocks of economics - complexity, time and change; some sociological explanations for the present condition of economics; the peculiar place of meaning in social sciences; assumptions, success, and responsibility - examples of the uses of judgement; the micro foundations for textual analysis; stories that blow up - how to anticipate when the realisticness of assumptions will matter; implications and conclusions of part 2. Part 3 Marshall's search for a scientific way of inserting values into a social science, his legacy to welfare economics: an historical and philosophical context for the concept of "value" in economics; Marshall's programme; the problems and why they persist; the continuing controversy over Marshall's demand theory - some aspects of the literature on Marshall's work; some modern solutions to Marshall's problem - the literature of welfare measurement.