The Econocracy: On the Perils of Leaving Economics to the Experts

Description

Three young British academic-activists lay bare how economics has left most of us locked out of today's politics - and how we can begin to take charge of the political process once again A century ago, the idea of 'the economy' didn't exist. Now economics is the supreme ideology of our time, with its own rules and language. The trouble is, most of us can't speak it. This is damaging democracy. Dangerous agendas are hidden inside mathematical wrappers; controversial policies are presented as 'proven' by the models of economic 'science'. Government is being turned over to a publicly unaccountable technocratic elite. The Econocracy reveals that economics is too important to be left to the economists - and shows us how we can begin to participate more fully in the decisions which affect all our futures.

A writer, organiser and researcher, Joe Earle is a trustee of Rethinking Economics and its sister organisation Economy (www.ecnmy.org). Cahal Moran is studying for a PhD in economics at the University of Manchester, researching applied behavioural economics. Zach Ward-Perkins is a former trustee of Rethinking Economics, and is still an active member of the movement to change economics. He is now a researcher at the University of Sheffield, working with the Local Authority on how to transform the provision of social care in the City. They are founding members of the Post-Crash Economics Society at the University of Manchester.

"An interesting and highly pertinent book." --Noam Chomsky "A rousing wake-up call to the economics profession. . . . Technically assured, well-argued, and informative." --Robert Skidelsky, author, How Much Is Enough? "It is a damning indictment for the economics profession that it has taken young people barely out of university to provide this analysis. Utterly compelling and sobering." --Ha-Joon Chang, author, Economics: The User's Guide