Greed, lust & gender a history of economic ideas - Folbre, Nancy (Oxford University Press, 2009)
Includes bibliographical references (pages 329-371) and index
Table of Contents; Epigraph; Introduction; 1. The Eye of the Needle; 2. The Springs of Desire; 3. Defining Virtues; 4. Free Trade but Not Free Love; 5. The Limits of Affection; 6. The Perfectibility of Man; 7. The Greatest Happiness; 8. Self-love, Triumphant; 9. Production and Reproduction; 10. Whose Wealth?; 11. The Social Family; 12. Equal Opportunities; 13. The Subjection of Women; 14. Declaring Independence; 15. The Icy Waters; 16. The Sacred Sphere; 17. The Unproductive Housewife; 18. The Nanny State; 19. Human Capitalism; 20. Beyond Economic Man; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index
When does the pursuit of self-interest go too far, lapsing into morally unacceptable behaviour? Until the unprecedented events of the recent global financial crisis economists often seemed unconcerned with this question, even suggesting that "greed is good." A closer look, however, suggests that greed and lust are generally considered good only for men, and then only outside the realm of family life. The history of Western economic ideas shows that men have given themselves morecultural permission than women for the pursuit of both economic and sexual self-interest. Feminists have lo