Judging by the tone of recent postings here and comments made to me at the ASSA meetings in Washington, one thing that economists of the right and left share is a hatred of insitutional religion (I exclude the prophetic voice, as was indicated in another posting). For mainstream economists, religion is an irrational institution that will die away as rationality comes to rule; for radical economists, religion is an instrument of oppression wielded by the powerful. For mainstream economists, I pose the following question: how to explain the ongoing vitality of religion after 300 years of modernity? For radicals, the question is: how do you explain the fact that many grassroot organizations working for change around the world are based in religious communities? Far from being an opiate, religion is often the catalyst of change. Ross Ross B. Emmett, Augustana Univesity College, Camrose, Alberta CANADA T4V 2R3 voice: (403) 679-1517 fax: (403) 679-1129 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
