James K. Galbraith: Dismal Economics

James K. Galbraith reviews four books that shed light on the unjustifiable hegemony of the neoclassical school. [View this message in a web browser]( [PS On Point]( JULY 23, 2021 Economic theories based on fantasy worlds remain hegemonic in the real one. That is because all who dare to point out the obvious failings of neoclassical and marginalist economic thought are routinely met with a mix of denial, disdain, and disparagement, writes James K. Galbraith of the University of Texas at Austin. [Read more](. On Point [Dismal Economics]( [Dismal Economics]( By James K. Galbraith Although neoclassical economics relies on assumptions that should have been discarded long ago, it remains the mainstream orthodoxy. Three recent books, and one older one, help to show why its staying power should be regarded as a scandal. [Read more]( [Comrade Editor a memoir by Gwen Lister]( [Comrade Editor On Life, Journalism and the Birth of Namibia]( Gwen Lister In Comrade Editor, Lister shares not only her decades- long experience in the newspaper business, but also the perils of outspoken journalism and the effects on herself and her family. This is a brave and honest account of the personal and professional journey of one of Africa’s foremost journalists. The Big Picture [The Latin American Tinderbox]( [The Latin American Tinderbox]( Featuring Mauricio Cárdenas, Ana Palacio, Kenneth Rogoff, and more A toxic combination of COVID-19, economic anxiety, and mounting popular anger threatens to erode support for democratic institutions across the region. If national leaders and the international community fail to respond effectively, the wave of unrest that has gripped country after country will likely grow worse. [Read more]( Opinion Has It [Is It Time to Cancel the Olympics?]( with [Jules Boykoff]( an associate professor of political science at Pacific University in Oregon, and a former member of the US Olympic soccer team Even when the world isn’t gripped by a pandemic, staging the Olympic Games can create serious problems for local populations. So, why do cities and countries keep seeking to host them? [Listen now]( Opinion Has It is also available on [Apple]( [Google]( [Soundcloud]( and [Spotify](. [PS. The latest on politics for less than $9 a month. Subscribe now.]( Previously in On Point [The Rise of the Distributariat]( [The Rise of the Distributariat]( By Steven Hill The shift to remote work during the pandemic has brought both disturbing developments, like the increased use of surveillance technology, and promising ones, like the de-linking of employment from geographic location. But without new rules of the road, workers overall will be worse off than they were before COVID-19. [Read more]( [Special-Edition Magazine: Back to Health]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( Project Syndicate publishes and provides, on a not-for-profit basis, original commentary by the world's leading thinkers to more than 500 media outlets in over 150 countries. This newsletter is a service of [Project Syndicate](. [Change your newsletter preferences](. Follow us on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( and [YouTube](. © Project Syndicate, all rights reserved. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters](.