There are a number of really excellent books around at the moment where the assumptions of both classical and neo-liberal economics are reviewed and challenged. Northern Comment has considered some of these in earlier posts on the Dismal Science. One of the really excellent books on this is Doughnut Economics Kate Raworth.

It is a root and branch critique of some of the basic tenets of Econ 101 and comes up with a model of economics that put people at the centre or rather in the ring of the doughnut. The model sets economic theory in the context of a finite planetary system. It does not simply bracket out as “externalities” issues which have existential implications for the habitability of planet earth.

As part of a Coursera MOOC there is a link to a lecture that Kate Raworth gives which is an excellent overview of her thinking on economics. It is a solid overview of the discipline and some of the more pernicious applications of a fundamentalist interpretation of the laws of economics. Worth watching.