Weldon's writings address many of the themes that have preoccupied Canadian political economists over the last thirty years: unemployment, wage controls, inflation, pensions, privatization and social ownership, economic planning, social policy, the means and extent of state intervention, and the rise of neo-conservatism. On the Political Economy of Social Democracy stresses Weldon's recognition of the vital connection between social democracy and political democracy. It provides a clear understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of economic and social policy -- a necessary understanding, Weldon maintained, for the success of social democratic government. Weldon's commitment to social democracy in Canada is also reflected in the role he played in the New Democratic Party, his willingness to support and assist unions, and his efforts to achieve social justice. These selected papers originally appeared between 1961 and 1986. The issues they examine are now in the forefront of economic policy debates in most industrialized nations. They will interest not only scholars but anyone interested in the fate of a democratic political philosophy that has had considerable influence in shaping Canada.

Allen Fenichel's profile page

J. Weldon's profile page

"This collection [serves] as a testimony to social democratic thinking in Canada over a thirty year period .. a fitting memorial to an economist who made his mark on several generations of students -- graduate and undergraduate -- and on Canadian public life of the left." Philip Resnick, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia.
"In a lucid and often polemical style that is ... engaging and often provocative, [Weldon] ranges over the battlefield of public policy. [His] is the voice of a committed warrior ... the voice of compassion coupled with lucid technical reason and passionate and often biting critique ... The collection raises as many questions as it answers." H. Chorney, Graduate Program in Public Policy, Concordia University.

"This collection [serves] as a testimony to social democratic thinking in Canada over a thirty year period .. a fitting memorial to an economist who made his mark on several generations of students -- graduate and undergraduate -- and on Canadian public life of the left." Philip Resnick, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia. "In a lucid and often polemical style that is ... engaging and often provocative, [Weldon] ranges over the battlefield of public policy. [His] is the voice of a committed warrior ... the voice of compassion coupled with lucid technical reason and passionate and often biting critique ... The collection raises as many questions as it answers." H. Chorney, Graduate Program in Public Policy, Concordia University.