In 1938 Barbara Wootton published Lament For Economics, an indictment of the state of contemporary economic theory. She complained that economics was of no use to anyone, and…
Abstract
In 1938 Barbara Wootton published Lament For Economics, an indictment of the state of contemporary economic theory. She complained that economics was of no use to anyone, and unintelligible to all except a small minority of specialists. Economists were unable to agree; they ignored reality, and often served as apologists for capitalism. Thus, economics was not a science, and could contribute little or nothing either to the understanding of capitalism or to the organisation of a future socialist society. Wootton’s criticism made no impact at the time, and she soon abandoned economics and became an eminent criminologist and social theorist. However, many of her arguments were repeated, 62 years later, in the French students’ manifesto that led to the formation of the Post Austistic Economics movement.
This is a very odd paper, certainly one of the oddest ever published by Aslib: odd in subject, form and author. A patient reader will find out why.
PRESIDENT: F. C. Francis, M.A., F.S.A., British Museum. PAST PRESIDENTS SERVING ON COUNCIL: Dr. Barbara Wootton, University of London; Sir Raymond Streat, K.B.E., Cotton Board…
Abstract
PRESIDENT: F. C. Francis, M.A., F.S.A., British Museum. PAST PRESIDENTS SERVING ON COUNCIL: Dr. Barbara Wootton, University of London; Sir Raymond Streat, K.B.E., Cotton Board. VICE‐PRESIDENTS: Sir Andrew McCance, Colvilles Ltd.; Sir Alexander Todd, Cambridge University; Sir Ben Lockspeiser, K.C.B., Tube Investments Ltd.; Sir Wavell Wakefield, M.P. HONORARY TREASURER: J. E. Wright, Institution of Electrical Engineers. HONORARY SECRETARY: Mrs. Joyce Lancaster‐Jones, British Council.
I should like to open these proceedings by expressing my appreciation of the honour conferred upon me by Aslib in the invitation to become their President. The Presidents of Aslib…
Abstract
I should like to open these proceedings by expressing my appreciation of the honour conferred upon me by Aslib in the invitation to become their President. The Presidents of Aslib have been a very distinguished company, in which I am indeed proud to find myself. My remarks this evening will be concerned with some of the difficulties which obstruct communication between one human being and another. May I begin by expressing the hope that, whatever may be the fate of the rest of this address, these sentiments at least will be successfully communicated from speaker to audience?
I must begin this address with an apology for the uncommunicative nature of the title of my paper as announced in your programmes. As often happens, the title had to be chosen in…
Abstract
I must begin this address with an apology for the uncommunicative nature of the title of my paper as announced in your programmes. As often happens, the title had to be chosen in advance of the birth, even perhaps of the conception, of the matter which it professes to describe: its vagueness must, therefore, be explained as a precautionary attempt to provide for all contingencies. Actually, the particular subject of this paper is The language of the social sciences; and I would ask you, therefore, to be good enough to append those words as a sub‐title.