Teaching political economy and Marxism at an introductory level: a view from Greece

Political economy, and especially Marxist political economy, holds a precarious position in the curricula of Greek universities today. This paper diagnoses problems associated with its teaching, particularly at an introductory level, and then proposes a solution. The paper first discusses how economic science had been introduced as an autonomous subject in Greek universities and its subsequent evolution. Particular emphasis is placed on the changing notions attributed to political economy during this evolution. Then the structure and rationale of an introductory course in political economy, with an emphasis on Marxism, is presented. This course aims to surpass the problems diagnosed and to promote the explanatory power of political economy and particularly Marxist political economy for comprehending contemporary capitalism.