Morality and Power

Mike Berry, Emeritus Professor, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University, Australia

• Contents: Preface Part I Foundations 1. Introduction 2. David Hume’s “Judicious Spectator” 3. Bentham’s Legacy 4. J.S. Mill’s Apostasy 5. The Retreat to the Margin Part II Analysis 6. The Concept of Economic Welfare 7. Cambridge versus Lausanne 8. What Is Efficiency? 9. Social Justice and Economic Policy 10. Is Democracy Possible? 11. Building a Consequentialist Framework Part III Outcomes 12. Privatization 13. Inequality 14. Financial Crisis 15. Environmental Crisis 16. Population Crisis 17. The Hollowing of Democracy Epilogue 18. Recapturing the High Ground Index

'Critical of the dominant neoliberal application of economics to public policy, Berry makes a convincing case for the renewal of ethical principles in search of wealth and the ''good life''. Erudite and accessible, this book is an intellectual tour de force that covers the major historical and normative aspects of capitalist economies in its quest for more sustainable alternatives.' --Manfred B. Steger, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, US and RMIT University, Australia'This is a wonderful book full of insight and argument about the biggest issues facing humanity. Mike Berry writes with verve and imagination, translating the history of ethics and economics into a manifesto for 21st century public policy. Its scope is something to behold.' --Gordon Clark, University of Oxford, UK'This outstanding book shows why mainstream economics, purporting to be the premier social science, is really neither social nor scientific. Economists' standard conception of individual rationality ignores the social context, values and power structures that shape actual economic outcomes. Berry's book takes us through the evolution of key economic ideas about markets, efficiency and welfare, explaining how economists lost their way. It shows how an explicitly ethical alternative can help us to deal with current challenges like financial instability, economic inequality and environmental crisis. It is warmly recommended to readers seeking a more sensible and humane approach to public policy.' --Frank Stilwell, the University of Sydney, Australia