“This is a book of many homines. Homo economicus is presented and contrasted with homo sociologicus. Richard Bronk then introduces a new hybrid, homo economicus romanticus – the romantic economist. Bronk is quick to point out that such a hybrid may be seen as an oxymoron. Economists have had many adjectives associated with them ranging from dismal, to two-handed, to multi-handed, to brash, to arrogant, and so on into expletive territory. However, romantic is a prefix not known to its practitioners. Visions of a cavalier economist appearing at the gates of scarcity with a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates to sweep a despairing consumer off her feet are alien to the profession …” (more)
[Antoin E Murphy, Irish Times, 14 April]