Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Socio-Economics: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Ethics, Institutions, and Markets

  • Book
  • © 1992

Overview

Authors:
  1. Beat Bürgenmeier

    1. University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 16.99 USD 84.99
Discount applied Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 1-6

  3. Economic theory — Going round in circles?

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-8
      Download chapter PDF

    2. The Links Between Economic Theory and Practice

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 9-26

    3. The Fragmentation of Economics

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 27-44

    4. The Instrumentalization of Economics

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 45-52

  4. Economic policy in crisis

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 53-54
      Download chapter PDF

    2. The Role of the State in Economic Theory

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 55-72

    3. The All-Pervading State

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 73-91

    4. The Threat of Institutional Paralysis

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 93-106

  5. A new approach

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 107-110
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Economics and the Social Sciences

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 111-128

    3. The Meaning of Productivity

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 129-152

    4. The Environmental Debate

      • Beat Bürgenmeier
      Pages 153-174

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 175-190
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

This book is intended as a warning against the kind of hard-core liberalism which blames state intervention for the disappointing results achieved in matters of macroeconomic, competition and social welfare policy. In calling attention to the social dimension of economics, the book stresses the need for an ethical yardstick which can only be pro­ vided by an interdisciplinary approach to the economy. One current school of thought claims to have bridged the gap by por­ traying economics as both positive and normative. However, this inter­ pretation is inadequate. The positive aspect of economics, reflecting an approach common in the natural sciences, is based on observable facts. It highlights causal relationships and seeks to analyse economic mechanisms on the basis of available information. This has led to an emphasis on purely deductive methods, which form the basis for many of the conclusions in main­ stream economics. This current of thought is typified by the neoclassical school, which takes as its main premise the much-disputed hypothesis of economic rationality. Human behaviour is deemed to be rational when consumers maximize their satisfaction and producers their profits, sub­ ject to the constraints of income and production costs respectively. Opt­ imal strategies for both consumers and producers can best be determined by the mechanism of market forces.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    Beat Bürgenmeier

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation