Speaker：Nanako Fujita [Graduate School of Economics Department of Economics, Nagoya City University]

Date：December 19, 2023／15:00‐16:40 (JST)

Location：Hyflex (mix of in-person and online)

Language：Japanese

Target:：Open to the public

Abstract：In the context of "Methodology in the Social Sciences," we discuss the characteristics and significance of the methodology of "explicit value premises" of Swedish economist (and self-proclaimed "social scientist") Gunnar Myrdal (1898-1987).
　In The Political Element in the Development of Economic Theory (1930), Myrdal critically pointed out the implicitly liberal value judgments latent in traditional mainstream economics, such as the classical and neoclassical schools, and argued that a methodology that enables economics to be both objective and practical is necessary. Although the position of "technology of economics" he presented at that time was halfway, he established a methodology of "explicit value premises" in An American Dilemma (1944), which summarized his investigation of the problem of discrimination against blacks in the United States during World War II. In Myrdal's economics, the methodology of "explicit value premises", combined with the theory of cumulative causation, became the methodological and theoretical basis for his discussions of various issues such as the welfare state, development economics, and peace.
　Myrdal's final position is that fact recognitions and value judgments cannot be separated by any effort. What is important, then, is to be aware of value judgments, to make them explicit as "value premises," and not to hide them. This allows us to logically control our value judgments, determine the scope of our analysis, and recommend policies and reforms. He listed several conditions for selecting value premises, but he himself emphasized "equality" the most. Analysis and policy recommendations/enlightenment based on the perspective of "equality" are the traits that run through his diverse essays.
　The contemporary significance of Myrdal's methodology is recognized not only in its uniqueness based on his economic concern for objectivity and practicality, but also in the fact that it is oriented toward a broad analysis that includes factors that transcend the boundaries of academic disciplines through the explicit statement of the analytical perspective of value premises.