The Discretionary Economy: A Normative Theory of Political
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Tool, Marc R., PUBLISHER: Westview Press, ong>Theong> Discretionary Economy argues that we do in fact control our own political ong>anong>d ong>economicong> destinies. As a community, we have discretion over policies that determine wheong>theong>r ong>anong> ong>economicong> process adequately provides for ong>theong> necessities ong>ofong> life. We also determine who participates in normative public judgments ong>anong>d wheong>theong>r decisions distinguish between what is ong>anong>d what ought to be. Tool argues that we must continuously orgong>anong>ize ong>theong> institutional structures through which ong>economicong> ong>anong>d political functions in ong>theong> social process are carried on. We must exercise discretion by creating ong>anong>d modifying institutions that coordinate our behavior. To exercise discretion effectively requires that we employ distinctively Americong>anong> ong>economicong>, political, ong>anong>d philosophical ong>theong>ory. In this volume, ong>theong> pivotal twentieth-century contributors to this encompassing ong>theong>ory ong>ofong> political economy are Thorstein Veblen, ong>Johnong> Dewey, Clarence Ayres, ong>anong>d R. Fagg Foster. This volume presents, in detail, ong>theong>ir ong>anong>alytical ong>anong>d philosophical perspective on social chong>anong>ge. A major purpose ong>ofong> this volume is to compare ong>anong>d contrast ong>theong> Americong>anong> tradition with ong>theong> traditions ong>ofong> capitalism, Marxism, ong>anong>d fascism, demonstrating that ong>theong> former cong>anong> resolve compelling ong>economicong> ong>anong>d political problems ong>anong>d ong>theong> latter two cong>anong>not. This book explains how to identify ong>anong>d ong>anong>alyze social, ong>economicong>, ong>anong>d political problems confronted in all communities, ong>anong>d how to go about framing ong>anong>d implementing structural adjustments in ong>theong> political economy. It will be ong>ofong> interest to students in non-traditional courses in political economy including institutional ong>economicong>s, contemporary social problems, ong>economicong>s ong>anong>d social policy, methodology, ong>anong>dcontemporary ong>economicong> thought.