Hugh Stretton Books

A New Introduction provides a fresh introduction to real economics. Highlighting the complex and changing nature of economic activity, this wide-ranging text employs a pragmatic mix of old and new methods to examine the role of values and theoretical beliefs in economic life and in economists’ understanding of it. It attends to the problems which have come with high productivity, rapidly changing technology and skills, changing proportions of earning and non-earning years in most people’s lives, and a faltering revolution in childhood and parenting which has brought stress and over-work for many women. It addresses such issues as rising poverty, inequality, insecurity and the slow progress of environmental reform. In focusing on such abuses of affluence the text draws on institutional, Keynesian, green and feminist theories, while emphasising all approaches to understanding economic life.

Examining the interplay between researchers' values and their methodological choices, this book delves into how personal and political influences shape social science research. The author analyzes both historical and contemporary works across various disciplines, including history, sociology, political science, and economics, distinguishing between scientific and political elements. Through this exploration, the book highlights the dual nature of social science as both a method of discovery and a reflection of societal values.