International Journal of Social Economics: Volume 26 Issue 10/11

Morality, economics and life

Leslie Armour

A human life seems to have infinite value, and morality appears to demand that no effort be spared to preserve or to maintain it. Yet health care costs could destroy the economy…

Is there anything new to be said after Adam Smith, Marx, Walras and Keynes?: Toward a third revolution in economic thinking

Anghel N. Rugina

Argues that none of the basic problems in the science of economics and finance have been properly solved. Discusses the basic problems in theory and practice, in particular with…

Methodological controversies in economics and political economy

Thomas W. Hall, John E. Elliott

After a clarification of definitions important in methodological discussions, a brief history of early methodological thought in economics and political economy is presented. The…

Essentialism and epochalism within the context of Irish state‐building

Daniel J. O’Neil

This article explores the hypothesis of Clifford Geertz concerning the importance of essentialism (culture) and epochalism (economics) in the creation of new states. It focuses on…

Social capital and the privatization of public goods

Dell Champlin

Discusses the privatization of public goods and services in urban areas. Examines the common assumption that shifting responsibility for providing goods and services to private…

Beyond Adam Smith and Karl Marx: visions and versions of future society

Thomas O. Nitsch

Marx and Smith share the accusation of musing about future society, but of being much too vague about the form. At the same time, there is no glaring dearth of those who hailed…

Community based urban development: a strategy for improving social sustainability

Sabine U. O’Hara

This paper presents an alternative approach to urban development which emphasizes broad based citizen participation in identifying neighbourhood needs and skills as the basis for…

Ancient futures: papal and Buddhist economics

Glen Alexandrin, Charles E. Zech

This study compares traditional, neoclassical economics with two religiously‐based economic paradigms. The first relies on an application of the teachings of Buddhism. The second…

Augustinianism and the social service state

Daniel J. O’Neil

This article explores the thought of St Augustine and its relevancy to acceptance or rejection of the social service state. It notes Augustine’s emphasis on the transitory nature…