Political economy essentially seeks to understand the social and political repercussions of economic ideas, policy and activity. This unit asks in what ways political economy differs from orthodox economics; why people believe that political economy is more important than orthodox economics; whether orthodox economics should either be replaced by or at least supplemented by political economy; and whether students who are serious about understanding the big picture of political and economic forces in our society should be allowed to go through university without confronting and debating the issues, queries and doubts raised by any study of political economy.