"The theories and hypotheses driving economic modeling and policy have real-world, tangible effects on the lives of those implicated. As such, ideologies play a particularly challenging role in economic policymaking, as the decisions made by governing bodies have the potential to alter the lives of many. In this engaging work, Van Lear paints a vivid picture of the social implications of economic thought, creating a careful narrative which stresses the importance behind turning ideas into action within the economic world. This books aims to explain how social outcomes result from the influence of economic ideas which are themselves strongly impacted by the distribution of power in society"--Cover.