CRITIQUE OF THE METHODOLOGY OF AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

In this article attention is drawn to serious methodological weaknesses in Australian agricultural economics. It is frankly polemic in style and after a discussion of the philosophies of science of Popper and Kuhn the author argues that Australian agricultural economists ought to be more critical of the assumptions on which current theory is based and should be seeking to establish a new approach to the problems of the agricultural economy which would place more emphasis on social justice than on 'growth and efficiency'