Ajit Sinha Books

This book draws on the work of one of the sharpest minds of the 20th century, Piero Sraffa. Ludwig Wittgenstein credited him for 'the most consequential ideas' of the Philosophical Investigations (1953) and put him high on his short list of geniuses. Sraffa's revolutionary contribution to economics was, however, lost to the world because economists did not pay attention to the philosophical underpinnings of his economics. Based on exhaustive archival research, Sinha presents an exciting new thesis that shows how Sraffa challenged the usual mode of theorizing in terms of essential and mechanical causation and, instead, argued for a descriptive or geometrical theory based on simultaneous relations. A consequence of this approach was a complete removal of 'agent's subjectivity' and 'marginal method' or counterfactual reasoning from economic analysis – the two fundamental pillars of orthodox economic theory.

Focusing on over two centuries of debate surrounding classical theories of value and distribution, this book offers a thorough examination of the subject. It includes a new Afterword that addresses recent developments and ongoing discussions since the first edition. Aimed at both scholars in economic theory and philosophy as well as general readers, it serves as a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of these enduring economic concepts.

The book explores the foundations of classical political economy, proposing a novel research paradigm that challenges existing economic theories. Ajit Sinha's ambitious work aims to provide fresh insights into classical economic thought, offering valuable perspectives that could reshape the understanding of economics as a whole.

"Created specifically with students in mind to be used for reference and testing. This dictionary contains approximately 19,000 entries targeting common words used in the English language"--Preface.