The disappearance of cooperatives from economics textbooks

Author: Kalmi, Panu

Source: Cambridge Journal of Economics, Volume 31, Number 4, 30 July 2007 , pp. 625-647(23)

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Abstract:

Discussion of cooperatives abounded in early twentieth century economics textbooks, but is virtually absent from their modern counterparts. In this paper, I assemble a dataset of economics textbooks used at the University of Helsinki during 19052005 and examine how the treatment of cooperatives has changed, and what factors have led to a neglect of cooperatives in textbooks. The quality and quantity of the discussion on cooperatives is noted to be much greater in books published before World War II than in post-World War II books. I argue that the main reason for the decline is the paradigm shift from institutional to neoclassical analysis, which led to a neglect of the potential of cooperatives in addressing social problems.

Keywords: Cooperatives; Textbooks; University of Helsinki; A20; B10; B20; P13

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cje/bem005

Publication date: 2007-07-30

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The Cambridge Journal of Economics, founded in 1977 in the traditions of Marx, Keynes, Kalecki, Joan Robinson and Kaldor, provides a forum for theoretical, applied, policy and methodological research into social and economic issues.