The economist's oath : on the need for and content of professional economic ethics /

DeMartino decries the lack of ethical training in graduate economics programs and the lack of a code of ethics for those who practice what he regards as partisan, biased work by hired-gun marketplace consultants. "This situation is intolerable," he laments. And from his mile-high soapbox, DeMartino, an economist at the University of Denver, chastens this "profession of consequence" (perhaps Sanskrit gets a pass). Economists have been subject to direct assaults for many alleged sins--believing that people are rational and markets are efficient; the lack of a coherent plan to address world poverty; not being more aware of the impending global crisis (circa 2005 and counting). In recent years, seemingly harmless code words--pluralism and heterodoxy--have sprung up to nip at the heels of mainstream economists; now add ethics. The book pursues two broad themes: it makes the case for professional economics ethics and explores possible content. In addition to helpful in-chapter notes, there are 15 pages of references. The volume's main value will be as grist for arguments and guffaws in posh bars where economists spend their consulting checks. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections. A. R. Sanderson University of Chicago