From: glevy@PRATT.EDU
Date: Thu Mar 10 2005 - 12:36:59 EST
I attended a session on the "new pluralism" at the EEA conference at which Antonio spoke (but Stephen C and Susan Feiner were unable to attend). Then, I received the following in the mail today. Clearly, Geoff Hodgson is a heterodox economist who is committed to pluralism. But, is the work of Nobel Prize Winner, Douglas North (who shared the 1993 prize with the reactionary economic historian R.W. Fogel) an example of "new pluralism"? Why? For bringing marginalist quantitative methods to the study of economic history? Weren't those same quantitative methods used by Fogel & Engerman in their apologetics for the slave system? And weren't those same methods used by 'human capital' theorist and 1992 Nobel Prize Winner, Gary S. Becker? Does anyone have any idea what North's "new theory of political economy" is? It seems as if everybody in economics nowadays is going around saying that they are committed to pluralism. But, hasn't this become just another buzzword -- like 'freedom' -- which is held forth as a slogan by those who aren't really committed to it and/or by those who think that 'pluralism' simply means plural forms of quantitative methods? In solidarity, Jerry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Hodgson" <g.m.hodgson@herts.ac.uk> Subject: Douglass North - 1st Annual Thomas Malthus Lecture > Dear Colleague > > You are cordially invited to attend the First Annual Thomas Malthus Lecture > at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK > > Professor DOUGLASS NORTH (Nobel Laureate) will speak on "A NEW THEORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMY" > > The lecture will commence at 6pm on Thursday 12 May 2005. > > It will be held in the Weston Auditorium, De Havilland Campus, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK. > > The location is about 1 mile from Hatfield Railway Station, which has regular trains, taking about 20 minutes, from London King's Cross in the centre of London. > > Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) was the first ever Professor of Political > Economy in Britain. He taught and researched at the East India College, near Hertford in Hertfordshire. > > Everyone is welcome to attend this lecture. There is no charge. > > I hope you will be able to come > > G. M. Hodgson > Research Professor > University of Hertfordshire >
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