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Entanglement throughout Economic Science: The End of a Separate Welfare Economics

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  • Hilary Putnam
  • Vivian Walsh

Abstract

In the 1980s, Amartya Sen (1987, p. 51) complained of 'the impoverishment of welfare economics'. By 1993, Sir Partha Dasgupta (1993, p. 71), citing Hilary Putnam, had embraced the entanglement of theory, facts and values, and presented a theoretically rigorous, factually based, and deeply ethical social welfare function, which has rich non-utilitarian ethical elements sharply distinguishing it from the old 'welfarist' construction, and which he called a social evaluation function. Those things that the 'new' welfare economics had notoriously shied away from, above all interpersonal comparisons, are in full flower in Dasgupta's concept, and he is so confident of the moral support of his colleagues in the field that he seldom discusses ethical issues. Could one ask for anything more? We believe one can, and that framing this work as a separate branch of economics called 'welfare theory' limits its reach and influence, and offers its enemies an excuse for evading its message. What is more we argue that the logical entailments of entanglement render the concept of a separate 'welfare' economics meaningless.

Suggested Citation

  • Hilary Putnam & Vivian Walsh, 2009. "Entanglement throughout Economic Science: The End of a Separate Welfare Economics," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 291-297.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:revpoe:v:21:y:2009:i:2:p:291-297
    DOI: 10.1080/09538250902834087
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    Cited by:

    1. Cheng Li, 2019. "Morality and value neutrality in economics: a dualist view," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 97-118, May.
    2. Wendy Harcourt, 2020. "Unravelling the ‘P’ Word in Environment and Development," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 51(6), pages 1628-1639, November.

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