This book presents the contributions of the 20th century to economic theory in a mathematical language and in historical sequence. General equilibrium is the focal point of the book; but also a number of macroeconomic models, especially with respect to the first half of the century, are considered. Dynamic models are extensively studied per se, and not merely as extensions of their static counterparts. The book with its extensive bibliography gives a broad view over the developments in mathematical economics and is therefore an invaluable source of information for researchers and students working in this field.

From Industrial Districts to Local Development introduces a set of papers representing the main contribution of the 'Florence school' to the recent literature on industrial districts. The authors illustrate that the revitalisation of the concept of industrial districts, returning to Alfred Marshall's nineteenth-century writings, is rooted in an unconventional interpretation of the economic development of Tuscany after the Second World War.Models of industrial organisation and empirical investigation of industrial tendencies are featured, and Alfred Marshall's concepts of the advantages of the geographical agglomeration of specialised small firms in industrial districts are reintroduced. The authors extend the analysis of purely economic effects of agglomeration, including social, cultural and institutional foundations of local development, and current case studies are presented. This book will appeal to scholars, lecturers and researchers focusing on industrial economics, development economics and economic geography. Its references to Italian political experiences will also be of interest to policymakers in both developed and developing countries.

Altruistic Reveries is a unique volume, which arises out of an Interdisciplinary Conference on Perspectives on Altruism from the Humanities and Social Sciences organized by the Centre for Advanced Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, in October 1999. Altruism is a deep, multi-faceted phenomenon, of great interest and relevance to scholars across the entire range of disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Centre therefore brought together experts in diverse disciplines - Philosophy, Literature, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, and Political science - to examine and discuss the significance and role of altruism from their respective perspectives. A total of 10 papers in all were presented, and the volume is completed by an Introduction by the editors, and a final Concluding Chapter by one of the editors. Among the issues discussed are: the efficacy of motivational altruism in the resolution of public issues; the genetic origins of altruism and its attendant risks; the metaphysical basis of altruism; empathy and altruism; altruism or social exchange; altruism in wartime; and the welfare state. A notable feature of the volume is that the various authors have not talked past' one another. Although each is a specialist in his field, the papers are accessible to those in other fields, and to non-specialists. Both individually and together, they provide a rich set of insights and perspectives on altruism as a fundamental human and social phenomenon, which will edify, interest, and stimulate all readers of the volume.

Part of a series which focuses on the history of economic thought and methodology, this is the supplement to Volume 13.

This book contains at least three main highlights: breaking through the limitations of the mainstream Western economics system and the market theory framework, correctly explaining the successful experience of China's reform and opening up over the past 40 years from an economic perspective, and developing a new economics system and market theory. China's reform and opening up and innovative developments have provided a wide range of materials and resources for this theory; the results of this research will be integrated into world economic theories and serve the economic development and economic growth across the world.

This text bridges the gulf between theoretical economic principles of negotiation and auction theory and their multifaceted applications in actual practice. It is intended to be a supplement to the already existing literature, as a comprehensive collection of reports detailing experiences and results of very different negotiations and auctions.

The Marxist theory of capitalist growth and transformation has often been shrouded in obscurity, either by endless recapitulation of Marx's texts or by excessive use of mathematical formalism. This short book presents an integrated and rigorous view of capitalist development - technical change, class relations, trends in the profit rate and share, cyclical and long-term crisis - in a form that is accessible to serious readers with or without prior training in economics or familiarity with Marxist thought.

This collection developed from a conference held in 1992 to mark the coming of age of E.P. Thompson's seminal concept of "the moral economy". It provides a critical evaluation of the original concept and of its application to a wide and diverse field of scholarship, drawing together specialists from social and labour history, legal history, social, anthropology and historical geography who examine the developing utilization of the concept of "the moral economy" in different historical and societal contexts.

This volume examines themes that complicate the conventional economist's view of the world and thereby provide for a notably more complex, and humane, subject of study than the traditional Homo economicus. Written by economists and philosophers, these essays attempt to place neoclassical economic theory, especially conventional textbook micro-economic theory, in the broader context of other social sciences and modern economics. In doing so, the book aims to find the boundaries of economics and to define more sharply its relationship to other kinds of inquiry. Though the widespread use of textbook microtheory in business, economic, and political analysis is a clear testament to its power, the restrictions and artificialities of neoclassical assumptions give cause for worry even to many economists. This book examines the extent to which the economist's paradigm - that man is characterized chiefly by self-interested goals and rational choice of means - is useful in studying traditional noneconomic fields such as philosophy, political theory, and rhetoric. It also looks at how insights from other disciplines are changing - and perhaps improving - the current practice of economics.

This elaboration of the writings and statements of Milton Friedman is intended to create an economic system that moves the subject along theory-, fact-, and policy-oriented lines. Items directly attributable to Friedman are used in combination with an awareness of the unique breadth of his experience connected to statistical matters, and his work with Wesley C. Mitchell and others. In addition, some of the author's experiences dating back to the 1950s are used to reconstruct theory and bring in some topics Friedman did not consider.

This volume represents a contribution to the philosophy of economics with a distinctive point of view -- the contributors have selected particular areas of economics and have probed these areas for the philosophical and methodological issues that they raise. The primary essays are written by philosophers concentrating on philosophical issues that arise at the level of the everyday theoretical practice of working economists. Commentary essays are provided by working economists responding to the philosophical arguments from the standpoint of their own disciplines. The volume thus represents something of an experiment' in the philosophy of science, striving as it does to explore methodological issues across two research communities. The purpose of the volume is very specific: to stimulate a discussion of the epistemology and methodology of economics that works at the level of detail of existing best practice' in economics today. The contributors have designed their contributions to stimulate productive conversation between philosophers and economists on topics in the methodology of economics.

Joseph Halevi, Geoff Harcourt, Peter Kriesler and J. W. Nevile bring together a collection of their most influential papers on post-Keynesian thought. Their work stresses the importance of the underlying institutional framework, of the economy as a historical process and, therefore, of path determinacy. In addition, their essays suggest the ultimate goal of economics is as a tool to inform policy and make the world a better place, with better being defined by an overriding concern with social justice. Volume I analyses the contributions of Keynes, Harrod and Kalecki.

Why are people loyal? How do groups form and how do they create incentives for their members to abide by group norms? Until now, economics has only been able to partially answer these questions. In this groundbreaking work, Paul Frijters presents a new unified theory of human behaviour. To do so, he incorporates comprehensive yet tractable definitions of love and power, and the dynamics of groups and networks, into the traditional mainstream economic view. The result is an enhanced view of human societies that nevertheless retains the pursuit of self-interest at its core. This book provides a digestible but comprehensive theory of our socioeconomic system, which condenses its immense complexity into simplified representations. The result both illuminates humanity's history and suggests ways forward for policies today, in areas as diverse as poverty reduction and tax compliance.

Technology and innovation are fundamental to economic success and the struggle for markets in an increasingly competitive world. This book draws together the latest research in the fields of technology, innovation and competitiveness from some of the world's leading academics.International in its approach, this book considers a wide range of topics including the globalization of research and technology and the effect of this on the product cycle, financial domination in the global economy and its consequences for structural competitiveness. It also examines the impact of the pooling of technology and science in Europe on the environment for new entrepreneurial initiatives. Special emphasis is placed on the policy implications of recent developments in technology, industry and the economy. Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness will be of interest to policy analysts as well as academics and students of economics, management and business studies.

After a decade's development, evolutionary computation (EC) proves to be a powerful tool kit for economic analysis. While the demand for this equipment is increasing, there is no volume exclusively written for economists. This volume for the first time helps economists to get a quick grasp on how EC may support their research. A comprehensive coverage of the subject is given, that includes the following three areas: game theory, agent-based economic modelling and financial engineering. Twenty leading scholars from each of these areas contribute a chapter to the volume. The reader will find himself treading the path of the history of this research area, from the fledgling stage to the burgeoning era. The results on games, labour markets, pollution control, institution and productivity, financial markets, trading systems design and derivative pricing, are new and interesting for different target groups. The book also includes informations on web sites, conferences, and computer software.

The Idea of a Moral Economy is the first modern edition and English translation of three questions disputed at the University of Paris in 1330 by the theologian Gerard of Siena. The questions represent the most influential late medieval formulation of the natural law argument against usury and the illicit acquisition of property. Together they offer a particularly clear example of scholastic ideas about the nature and purpose of economic activity and the medieval concept of a moral economy. In his introduction, editor Lawrin Armstrong discusses Gerard's arguments and considers their significance both within the context of scholastic philosophy and law and as a critique of contemporary mainstream economics. His analysis demonstrates how Gerard's work is not only a valuable source for understanding economic thought in pre-modern Europe, but also a fertile resource for scholars of law, economics, and philosophy in medieval Europe and beyond.

'A convincing and comprehensive account of the success and ultimate failure of Keynesianism in Australia ... Essential reading, not only for other doughty fighters but for skeptics and critics as well' - G.C. Harcourt This analysis proposes a political explanation for the breakdown of Keynesian full employment in Australia. It taps into the current literature that examines the role of economic interests, ideas, and institutions, and, by taking issue with the arguments of anti-Keynesian economists, the book carries the argument that there was and is nothing inherently contradictory about Keynesian theory or much of its practice. Keynesianism, its imperfections notwithstanding, was overturned because of a powerful alliance of interests and ideas.

This unique volume provides a new interpretation and synthesis of network exchange theory in an effort to contribute to a neo-Weberian economic sociology. Arguing against commonly held assumptions about network exchange theory and its interpretation of all social actions as economic exchanges, Zafirovski seeks to explain these processes by employing an interdisciplinary approach and by examining the impact of social and institutional structures on market-economic exchange. The author argues that economic structure, processes, and actions are the outcomes of social action and institutions, not the other way around.

This rehabilitation of economic sociology begins with a reconsideration of the character, scope, and development of the field. The author then grounds his sociological approach to economic exchange in social action and structure before examining the role of social motivations in economic exchange. He then examines the political structuration, the cultural constitution, and the social construction of economic exchange and exchange cycles. The book concludes with a discussion of the character and variation of economic exchange in comparative social systems and the relationships of exchange, economic development, and social variables. This unique and persuasive book is an important contribution to the study of economic sociology and sociological theory.

This book presents an extensive survey of the theory and empirics of international parity conditions which are critical to our understanding of the linkages between world markets and the movement of interest and exchange rates across countries. The book falls into three parts dealing with the theory, methods of econometric testing and existing empirical evidence. Although it is intended to provide a consensus view on the subject, the authors also make some controversial propositions, particularly on the purchasing power parity conditions.

The present work is an extension of my doctoral thesis done at Stanford in the early 1970s. In one clear sense it responds to the call for consilience by Edward O. Wilson. I agree with Wilson that there is a pressing need in the sciences today for the unification of the social with the natural sciences. I consider the present work to proceed from the perspective of behavioral ecology, specifically a subfield which I choose to call interpersonal behavioral ecology th Ecology, as a general field, has emerged in the last quarter of the 20 century as a major theme of concern as we have become increasingly aware that we must preserve the planet whose limited resources we share with all other earthly creatures. Interpersonal behavioral ecology, however, focuses not on the physical environment, but upon our social environment. It concerns our interpersonal behavioral interactions at all levels, from simple dyadic one-to-one personal interactions to our larger, even global, social, economic, and political interactions. Interpersonal behavioral ecology, as I see it, then, is concerned with our behavior toward each other, from the most obvious behaviors of war between nations, to excessive competition, exploitation, crime, abuse, and even to the ways in which we interact with each other as individuals in the family, in our social lives, in the workplace, and in the marketplace.

Classic Papers in Natural Resource Economics Revisited is the first attempt to bring together a selection of classic papers in natural resource economics, alongside reflections by highly regarded professionals about how these papers have impacted the field. The seven papers included in this volume are grouped into five sections, representing the five core areas in natural resource economics: the intertemporal problem; externalities and market failure; property rights, institutions and public choice; the economics of exhaustible resources; and the economics of renewable resources. The seven papers are written by distinguished economists, five of them Nobelists. The papers, originally published between 1960 and 2000, addressed key issues in resource production, pricing, consumption, planning, management and policy. The original insights, fresh perspectives and bold vision embodied in these papers had a profound influence on the readership and they became classics in the field. This is the first attempt to publish original commentaries from a diverse group of scholars to identify, probe and analyse the ways in which these papers have impacted and shaped the discourse in natural resource economics. Although directed primarily at an academic audience, this book should also be of great appeal to researchers, policy analysts, and natural resource professionals, in general. This book was published as a series of symposia in the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research.

The financial crisis has exposed severe shortcomings in mainstream monetary economics and modern finance. It is surprising that these shortcomings have not led to a wider debate about the need to overhaul these theories. Instead, mainstream economists have closed ranks to defend existing theories and public authorities have expanded their interference in markets. This book investigates the problems associated with mainstream monetary economics and finance, and proposes alternatives based on the Austrian school of economics. This school emanated from the work of the nineteenth-century Austrian economist Carl Menger and was developed further by Eugen von Boehm-Bawerk, Ludwig von Mises, and Friedrich August von Hayek. In monetary economics, the Austrian school regards the creation of money by banks through credit extension as a key source of economic instability. From this follows the need for a comprehensive reform of our present monetary system. In a new monetary order, money could be issued by both public and private institutions, and there would be no need for fractional reserve banking. Instead of creating money, banks would intermediate it. In finance, the Austrian school rejects the notion of rational expectations and measurable risk. Individuals use their subjective knowledge to gather and evaluate information, and they act in a world of radical uncertainty. Hence, markets are not "efficient" nor can portfolios be built on the basis of known probability distributions of asset prices as described in the modern finance literature. This book explores the need for a new theoretical foundation for asset pricing and investment management that will give practitioners more useful orientation.

Can we improve upon both the free market and nationalization? Market socialist and other heterodox exploration of cultural and social factors can help answer this question using Austrian economic theory. This volume brings together economists and political scientists specializing in evolutionary change and spontaneous order. Spontaneous order and other Austrian theories are complemented by the consideration of cultural, social and communal interaction. Austrian Economic Perspectives on Individualism and Society bridges the gap between free market advocates stressing individual rights and individualistic culture, and left-leaning thinkers who stress social justice and a culture of social solidarity, or collectivism.

This book covers the main topics of welfare economics - general equilibrium models of exchange and production, Pareto optimality, un certainty, externalities and public goods - and some of the major topics of social choice theory - compensation criteria, fairness, voting. Arrow's Theorem, and the theory of implementation. The underlying question is this: "Is a particular economic or voting mechanism good or bad for society?" Welfare economics is mainly about whether the market mechanism is good or bad; social choice is largely about whether voting mechanisms, or other more abstract mechanisms, can improve upon the results of the market. This second edition updates the material of the first, written by Allan Feldman. It incorporates new sections to existing first-edition chapters, and it includes several new ones. Chapters 4, 6, 11, 15 and 16 are new, added in this edition. The first edition of the book grew out of an undergraduate welfare economics course at Brown University. The book is intended for the undergraduate student who has some prior familiarity with microeconomics. However, the book is also useful for graduate students and professionals, economists and non-economists, who want an overview of welfare and social choice results unburdened by detail and mathematical complexity. Welfare economics and social choice both probably suffer from ex cessively technical treatments in professional journals and monographs."