The Corruption of Economics

The mystery of persistent economic failure can now be explained. Professor Mason Gaffney charges his colleagues with using a theoretical apparatus that is fatally flawed. But he goes further: he accuses the founders of neo-classical economics - the paradigm taught in schools and universities - of acting in bad faith. They distorted the science of economics to protect vested interests, and prevented governments adopting policies that would yield prosperity for everyone. How did it happen? A century ago the programme which synthesized social justice with efficient market economics was endorsed by millions of people in Britain, the United States, Ireland and Australia. Their champion was Henry George. Armed with the language of classical economics, he challenged the power elites whose riches were built on the poverty of the masses. To stop Henry George the fortune hunters hired professors to pervert the language of economics and confuse democratic debate. The use of this corrupted economics continues to this day, explain the authors, who analyze recent attempts to intimidate reforming politicians such as Nelson Mandela.
If the full potential of the market economy is to be enjoyed by everyone, taxes must be transferred from consumption and production onto the rent of land. This was the theory - developed and endorsed by the greatest economist - that the landlords would not tolerate, their stratagem succeeded. But, in debasing their discipline, economists deprived themselves of the ability to diagnose problems, forecast trends and prescribe solutions, thereby condemning the 20th century to protracted periods of economic malaise. Mason Gaffney is the editor of "Extractive Resources and Taxation". Fred Harrison is the author of "Land and Liberty" and "The Power in the Land".