[Xavier_Spinner_Wheels]

Interesting! I'm planning on doing a module next semester on the history of economics and economic thought; it's something I've been trying to get into for a while. Anny suggested reading you have would be appreciated. I think there's a very strong link between economic theory and the behaviour of people which is quite intangible - I'm certain that, to some degree, modelled economic principles affect the way people think in a sort of "does art resemble life, or life resemble art" paradox. An example of this might be: why do we personify the economy? Discuss it as being weak, strong, healthy or otherwise; and when did the economy, however defined, become more important than welfare or morality?

In my youth the economy and matters such as the stock market and the health of any currency were never 'news', and did not even come at the tail end of the News.

Cannot recommend too highly many of Adam Curtis documentaries, many of which are on Google Video and YouTube. Very interesting on economic theory and mathematics and how they impinge on society, and his Century of Self on psychoanalysis and its effect on state and commerce is wonderful.

Curtis shows that mathematical theories (Game Theory) which posited entirely selfish motivation in people just in order to have something on which to base a model and which were demonstrated at that time as being false in their assumptions, nevertheless when applied by state to governance have produced exactly such a selfish society with selfish individuals.

Interestingly, his last fine documentary "The Trap" on our false ideas of freedom, falls down in last episode, simply I believe because it must fall to Muslims to articulate the truth of freedom.

See The Mayfair Set if you can, but almost everything he has done is very good.



Abdassamad Clarke