MYRDAL ON ECONOMICS

by Gunnar Myrdal ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 25, 1973

These sixteen speeches and essays written for economic or social journals will disappoint Myrdal devotees. Uncustomary self-congratulation, genuflection to the audience -- usually professional economists with whom Myrdal is generally quite strict -- and constant references to his other works make the book dull and trivial. The topics nicked include economic crises and cycles, stagflation's effect on social and economic policy, and the relation of growth to development. Myrdal's main point about world poverty is that economists require ""research techniques of working with explicit premises realistically tested for relevance, significance, rational compatibility and feasibility."" This vacuous observation is followed by a contention that Gandhi preached ""rationalistic modernization ideals."" Much of what Myrdal claims to think seems tailored to his audience or is at best a pale reflection of his books. He admits in the introduction that there is no defined set of topics and the book, Myrdal's past achievements aside, seems more conceived as a commercial package than as a contribution to the dismal science.

Pub Date: Sept. 25, 1973

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Pantheon

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1973

Categories: NONFICTION