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Special Project

Rethinking Political Economy

Rethinking Political Economy begins with a world in crisis—after forty years of market fundamentalism—and asks how we build a new one. We debate new ways to think about protecting the planet, the relationship of equality and democracy, the need for racially inclusive prosperity, the promise of industrial policy, the dangers of concentrated economic power, and a revival of investment in public goods.

Generously supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

We are pleased to announce a new Boston Review series, Rethinking Political Economy. Picking up where Democracy’s Promise left off, this new effort begins with a world in crisis and asks how we build a new one.

The starting point is to reject market fundamentalism. The dominant framework of politics and policy for forty years, market fundamentalism is defined by a narrowly individualistic picture of society, an untenable separation of states and markets, a limited sense of political possibilities, and a lack of confidence in the capacity of democracy to address public problems. In the United States, its failures are manifest in environmental catastrophe, shameful income and wealth inequality, racial injustice, failing public health infrastructure, and populist degradation of democracy.

Rethinking Political Economy will provide space for advancing alternatives in theory, politics, and policy. We will debate new ways to think about protecting the planet, the relationship of equality and democracy, the need for racially inclusive prosperity, the promise of industrial policy, the dangers of concentrated economic power, and a revival of investment in public goods.

We do not promise a new synthesis. But we do expect Rethinking Political Economy to help reorient public discussion away from market fundamentalism and toward an egalitarian, democratic sense of the common good.

Andrew Schrank
Amy Kapczynski, Christopher Morten, Reshma Ramachandran

Instead of pouring public funds into private industry—as the United States did with COVID-19 vaccines—we must build public capacity and prioritize public objectives.

Simon Torracinta

Far from spelling the end of anti-market politics, basic income proposals are one place where it can and has flourished.

Timothy Weaver

Tax breaks for investors don’t help poor communities.

Brishen Rogers

Workers will benefit from technology when they control how it’s used.

Pranab Bardhan

Financial Times commentator Martin Wolf says "it's the economy, stupid." The truth is more complicated.

Alex Raskolnikov

For years the left has rallied around taxing the 1 percent, but this group is too narrow.

Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou

Contemporary life has been deeply molded by financialization. But the speculative imagination can also be a tool for building a more just world.

James Chappel

The tone of exhausted pragmatism—even among friends of the program—is counterproductive. It is beyond time to fight fire with fire.

Kevin P. Donovan

Two new books critique poverty capital, but they don’t ask what borrowers need. 

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Just in time for the holidays, get any three print issues of Boston Review for just $35 – that’s 40% off the cover price!

Before December 9, mix and match any three issues for one low price using code 3FOR35.

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