Series: What is Political Economy?

Consumption used to be a disease. Now it is the dominant manner in which most people meet their most basic needs and—if they can afford the price—their wildest desires. In this new book, Ian and Mark Hudson critically examine how consumption has been understood in economic theory before analysing its centrality to our social lives and function in contemporary capitalism....

Austerity has been at the centre of political controversy following the 2008 financial crisis, invoked by politicians and academics across the political spectrum as the answer to, or cause of, our post-crash economic malaise. However, despite being the cause of debate for more than three centuries, austerity remains a poorly understood concept. In this book, Suzanne J. Konzelmann aims to...

Economics used to be called political economy, and the loss of the "political" tracks the ascendance of the idea of rational choice within the discipline. Where does this idea of economic rationality – choosing to maximize benefits and minimize costs – come from? What are the consequences of its rise? In this new book, Economic Rationality, Stephen Engelmann assesses these...

The problem of rent is at the root of vital social concerns in the twenty-first century, ranging from the climate emergency and spiralling economic inequality to the repercussions of global economic crises. But while many of us may be familiar with rent (especially paying it), how should we really understand it? Examining both concrete contexts and complex concepts, in this...

Value seems like an elusive and abstract concept. Nonetheless, notions of value underpin how we understand our lives, from discussions about the economic contribution of different kinds of work and productive activity, to the prices we pay for the things we consume. So what is value, and where does it come from? In this new book, Frederick Harry Pitts charts...

Economics used to be called political economy, and the loss of the "political" tracks the ascendance of the idea of rational choice within the discipline. Where does this idea of economic rationality – choosing to maximise benefits and minimise costs – come from? What are the consequences of its rise? In this new book, Economic Rationality, Stephen G. Engelmann assesses...