kids v. economists

[kelley]

At 04:57 PM 2/23/01 -0500, Doug Henwood wrote:
>Vikash Yadav wrote:
>
>>You seem to foreclose the possibility that a group of leftist thinkers could
>>do the same.  What is the basis for believing this?
>
>I don't think the profession of economics is likely to change as a result 
>of developments within economics; better arguments are not going to 
>persuade members of a profession whose fundamental task is concocting 
>apologias for bourgeois society. It's much more likely that changes in the 
>larger society might bring more radicals into studying economics, and to 
>push some already credentialed wimpy liberals a bit to the left.
>
>Doug

and there we have it.  the first statement is an explanation of social 
change from the perspective of home oeconomicus.  change happens--weberian 
fashion--via novelty -- because the presuppositions of the discipline is an 
enduring methodological individualism.  doug's position, otoh, is marxist 
or radical (as opposed to bourg liberal --whether its conservative or 
"liberal" variants)

kelley