Can economics be trusted in taking care of the most pressing questions of today in a neutral and un-ideological way? That is the topic of an essay written by Economics alum Pablo Hubacher Haerle ’20 for Chasmotics, an online publishing platform which seeks to question and problematize contemporary times through philosophical thought.
Exploring the link between politics and economics
Economics has long been perceived as an unattractively technocratic discipline. Recently, this trend seems to reverse, as economics becomes more popular among young people devoted to change the world for the better. Effective altruists, who seek to do the most good in the most efficient way, recommend that students acquire a PhD in economics, because “you have a high chance of landing an impactful research job” and it is “one of the most promising graduate study options for people who want to make a difference” (Duda 2015).
It is argued that tackling some of today’s pressing political problems such as climate change, income inequality or racism within the economical framework has the advantage of, unlike in less quantitative subjects such as history or sociology, dealing with such political issues with evidence, instead of ideology. But what exactly is the link between politics and economics? How do these two fields interact? And, can economics be trusted in taking care of the most pressing questions of today in a neutral and unideological way?
Looking at the relationship between economic thinking and politics, this essay suggests an answer.
About the author
Pablo Hubacher Haerle ’20 is a recent graduate from the Barcelona GSE Master’s in Economics.