I agree in general, but not for the hardcore Austrians like Rothbard. The facts are illustrative only for Rothbard. His argument doesn’t rest on empirical observations.
I apologize for being unclear. I agree with your point that the facts Rothbard uses are “illustrative only”, but I deny that this separates Rothbard’s work from most of the economics profession. He is simply more upfront about it.
Of course, I agree entirely with your advice not to start learning economics within the Austrian Paradigm, which is why all of the texts I suggested were within the Neoclassical Paradigm.
Ah, I see. My impression of the economics profession as a whole is that there is a large group for which you’re description fits and another large group for which it doesn’t, but I don’t have any communicable evidence for this position. I’ve personally worked with several economists in the latter category, but they would probably put most of the profession in the former.
I apologize for being unclear. I agree with your point that the facts Rothbard uses are “illustrative only”, but I deny that this separates Rothbard’s work from most of the economics profession. He is simply more upfront about it.
Of course, I agree entirely with your advice not to start learning economics within the Austrian Paradigm, which is why all of the texts I suggested were within the Neoclassical Paradigm.
Ah, I see. My impression of the economics profession as a whole is that there is a large group for which you’re description fits and another large group for which it doesn’t, but I don’t have any communicable evidence for this position. I’ve personally worked with several economists in the latter category, but they would probably put most of the profession in the former.