The influence of ideas is a central but puzzling problem in the social sciences. Parsons insisted that ideas play a central role in social continuity as well as in social change. Basic ideas that organise experience become embedded in the public mind and structure the ways in which issues are...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the “Radical economics” issue in International Journal of Social Economics. Design/methodology/approach – “Radical economics” has two basic meanings. One employs the basic sense of “radical”, whatever goes to the roots of the...

The fragmentation of knowledge poses serious threats to a survival when scientific and technological know-how constantly outrun understanding of societies and individuals. A significant problem associated with this state of affairs is the unquestioned separation of facts and values. This paper...

Purpose – It is difficult to get an adequate account of human needs but there are known needs which, for hundreds of millions of people, are not met. Can the present economic system meet them? Can any economic system meet them? Is simple economic growth the answer? The purpose of this paper is...

Mikhail Gorbachev's “restructuring” of the Soviet economy has, in his words, created “turmoil”. It has also led to protests on moral grounds. This restructuring attempts to decentralise decision making, introduce effective cost accounting, expand consumer choice, and relate production to...

Neither Marxists and Hegelians nor most supporters of market economies believe that we can really choose an economic system. Historical laws and economic realities undermine our attempts. Explores the problem of predicting any human future and examines background views of human nature which...

Lenin argued that nationalism should be supported against colonialism, though ultimately subordinated to the interests of the working class. He admitted there were linguistic and cultural issues, but associated the nation state chiefly with capitalist economics. Contrasts Lenin′s historical...

Examines the relationship between economics and culture. Discusses the role of Protestantism, Calvanism and Catholicism in the affluency of societies. Refers to the article by D.J. O′Neil in this issue which discusses the works of Horace Plunkett, Edward Banfield and George Foster, who applied...