Can the principles of heterodox political economy explain its own re‐emergence and development?
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to evaluate how some of the core general principles of heterodox political economy (HPE) can be applied to the issue of how HPE has managed to undergo resurgence and development over recent decades.
Design/methodology/approach
Four major principles of heterodoxy are applied successively to this issue: historical specificity; contradiction; heterogeneous agents and groups; and circular and cumulative causation.
Findings
These principles assist in comprehending how HPE is able to develop its own concepts, networks, publications, academic departments, teaching and policy‐relevant material.
Research limitations/implications
HPE has had considerable success in developing a conceptual apparatus, which helps to explain the emergence of much of its edifice being developed in academic and policy circles. The performance of HPE has been impressive.
Practical implications
The conceptual apparatus of heterodoxy can be applied to real world situations; specifically a component of world history over especially the past 40 years.
Originality/value
This is the first time such a theme has been explored in the literature.
Keywords
Citation
O'Hara, P.A. (2008), "Can the principles of heterodox political economy explain its own re‐emergence and development?", On the Horizon, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 260-278. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120810912583
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited