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This groundbreaking textbook introduces basic economic principles from a new perspective, characterized by its uniquely pluralist, sustainable, progressive and global approach. The book begins with an introduction to the problems of our generation and the benefits of pluralism. It then introduces students to the principles of economics. Rather than constricting the economy to fit through rose-colored glasses or limit the pedagogy to one ideology, the book will teach our current economic predicament through the vantage of multiple perspectives and sustainability. The book begins by introducing the key concepts of pluralism, sustainability and progressivity. It then moves on to discuss human sustainability within an economic context by discussing work, employment, power, capital, markets, money and debt. The fundamentals of economics are then presented with special attention devoted to prices, firms and the evolution of industries, the development and applicability of knowledge, consumption, savings and investment and recessions. Next it introduces tools to help students model the economy from a dynamic and global perspective.
And finally the book concludes with attention to consensus building, democratic decision making and offering a roadmap for the future. Co-authored by an all-star international team based on three continents and led by Jack Reardon, founding editor of the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, this is a landmark work that will set the standard for years to come.
List of contents
Part One: Introduction 1: Today's Problems and the Importance of Economics from a Pluralist Perspective. 2: Sustainability, Resources and the Environment Part Two: Human sustainability within an economic context. 4: Livelihoods and Work 5: Unemployment and Employment 6: Power and Capital 7: Individuals, Markets and Institutions 8: Money and Debt Part Three: Fundamentals of Economics 9: Value and Prices 10: Firms, the Evolution of Industries and Markets 11: Education, Knowledge and Technology 12: Consumption, Savings and Investment 13: Recessions and Financial Crises: Are they Inevitable? Part Four: Dynamic Modeling of the Economy 14: The Concept of Models 15: Global Governance: The Formation and Evolution of Global Institutions 16: Trade and Exchange between Nations 17: Contemporary Global Economic and Financial Trends Part Five: Empowering Economics for a Better World 18: Democracy in Decision Making 19: Political Economy and Development: Global Justice 20: Political Economy for the Planet
About the author
Jack Reardon is founding editor of the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education and author of Introducing a New Economics (Pluto Press, 2017) and The Handbook of Pluralist Economics Education (Routledge, 2009). He teaches economics at the School of Business at Hamline University in Minnesota.
Maria Alejandra Caporale Madi is a retired Professor at the Instituto de Economia, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Brazil. She is Assistant Editor of the International Journal of Pluralism and a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Green Economics. She is co-author of Introducing a New Economics (Pluto, 2017).
Molly Scott Cato is Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at Roehampton University and is a Green Party Member of the European Parliament for the South West England electoral region. She is author of The Bioregional Economy (Routledge, 2012) and co-author of Introducing a New Economics (Pluto, 2017).
Summary
A textbook that will set the standard for the new movement for pluralist economics
