Pluralism and democracy in political economics
Until about 1870 economics was referred to as 'political economics' and it is here argued that it was a mistake to abandon this terminology. Mainstream neoclassical economics is specific in scientific and conceptual terms but also in ideological terms. Similarly, other theoretical perspectives like feminist economics or ecological economics can be described in scientific as well as ideological terms. The fact that politics and ideology is involved suggests that only pluralism in economics is a reasonable position in a democratic society. This ideological element may also explain that there are different groups and schools of thought in economics who support pluralism.