Opinion of Andre Gunder Frank

[Tetro Kornbluth]

From what I have read, very positive. I'm mainly thinking of the last period of his career - from about the late 80s on and not the early dependancy stuff. I'm more curious here to wonder whether has anyone else read him (ag?) and what they think of his theories on historic development of the world economy. I fully expect this thread to get no replies (it won't now that I said that) but I'm just putting it out there.

[ag]

Actually, had to look up who he was.  He must have been influential in some area of human thought, but not in economics. As an economist, I have nothing to say.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Actually, had to look up who he was.  He must have been influential in some area of human thought, but not in economics. As an economist, I have nothing to say.

He was more of an economic historian rather than economist. I just felt that this thread would fit here more than any of the other boards.

[ag]

Actually, had to look up who he was.  He must have been influential in some area of human thought, but not in economics. As an economist, I have nothing to say.

He was more of an economic historian rather than economist. I just felt that this thread would fit here more than any of the other boards.

I know economic historians.  I might not know that much about the field, but good economic historians are also, as a rule, good economists. As a simple databse search shows, Gunder didn't publish in leading Econ History journals (though his work was sometimes discussed and even reviewed there).  To put it another way, he was a "heterodox" economic historian, whatever that means )

[opebo]

Yes, I like him quite a lot, and I teach him in some classes.  If I remember rightly I somewhat prefer Immanuel Wallerstein. 

Jointly their observations, and those of those other fellows associated with Dependency and World Systems Theory, seem to me reasonable and accurate depictions of what happened since the advent of European expansionism and European instigation/domination of a 'world trade'.   I suppose their views are largely accepted by most students of the subject here, and in much of the developing world. 

[minionofmidas]

Sounds interesting.

[ag]

Yes, I like him quite a lot, and I teach him in some classes. 

Gosh, you actually teach?!

[opebo]

Yes, I like him quite a lot, and I teach him in some classes. 

Gosh, you actually teach?!

I'm not sure what you mean by that.  Could you elaborate?

[ag]

Yes, I like him quite a lot, and I teach him in some classes. 

Gosh, you actually teach?!

I'm not sure what you mean by that.  Could you elaborate?

Sure. It was just a scream of despair on my part. I've seen to much in terms of the product of such teaching (

[opebo]

Sure. It was just a scream of despair on my part. I've seen to much in terms of the product of such teaching (

If you think teaching is going to make any substantial difference in the young middle class drone's life, you seem to be a bit out of touch with reality.  Relax.

[ag]

Sure. It was just a scream of despair on my part. I've seen to much in terms of the product of such teaching (

If you think teaching is going to make any substantial difference in the young middle class drone's life, you seem to be a bit out of touch with reality.  Relax.

Oh, I've seen it changing lives.  In fact, I've seen certain kind of teaching destroying lives and brains, turning potentially smart people into idiotic brain wrecks: that's why I screamed.

[opebo]

Oh, I've seen it changing lives.  In fact, I've seen certain kind of teaching destroying lives and brains, turning potentially smart people into idiotic brain wrecks: that's why I screamed.

Ah, well, what kind of teaching is this 'certain kind' to which you refer?  And what do you mean by 'smart' (or for that matter 'idiotic brain wrecks'?)

[minionofmidas]

Relax, ag. He teaches college, not primary or high school.

[opebo]

Relax, ag. He teaches college, not primary or high school.

In any case, only a paranoid right-winger would imagine that listening to some vague observations about exploitation for an hour or two is going to 'wreck the idiotic brain' of some perfectly disinterested, well-connected, middle class Thai.

[ag]

Relax, ag. He teaches college, not primary or high school.

That's exactly where the brains get wrecked

[opebo]

Relax, ag. He teaches college, not primary or high school.

That's exactly where the brains get wrecked

Well, thanks very much for the compliment, but I do suspect my own estimate of my influence over brains is closer to the truth than your estimate.  I seriously doubt you or I have any such influence.

(though the arrogance of the university lecturer is certainly a vibrant stereotype.. I'm met only a very few other modest ones)

[opebo]

I'd like to delve a little deeper into this, ag.  Do you propose that the ideas or theories of Andre Gunder Frank are so dangerous, so terribly seductive, that we may not expose the brains of youth to them lest they be 'wrecked'?  Should we ban Frank from the curriculum?

[Gustaf]

I'd like to delve a little deeper into this, ag.  Do you propose that the ideas or theories of Andre Gunder Frank are so dangerous, so terribly seductive, that we may not expose the brains of youth to them lest they be 'wrecked'?  Should we ban Frank from the curriculum?

I think what he is trying to say is that you're stupid and will transfer this stupidity to your students.

[opebo]

I'd like to delve a little deeper into this, ag.  Do you propose that the ideas or theories of Andre Gunder Frank are so dangerous, so terribly seductive, that we may not expose the brains of youth to them lest they be 'wrecked'?  Should we ban Frank from the curriculum?

I think what he is trying to say is that you're stupid and will transfer this stupidity to your students.

I'm sure he can't have meant that, Gustaf.  He's a serious scientist, after all, isn't he?