The Rhetoric of Economics: Why Words Are Important

Abstract

By looking at historical evidence McCloskey concludes that the great transformation of the Industrial Revolution was made possible by the change in attitudes, reflected ultimately in the change in rhetoric, towards Bourgeois values. This paper explores the importance of the change in rhetoric by looking at the impact of the more recent change in attitudes against Bourgeois values. This paper argues that what Weigel identifies as the current European crisis of civilizational morale is ultimately a product of turning away from the rhetoric that made the Industrial Revolution possible. Weigel warns that today’s European crisis could be tomorrow’s American crisis. This paper argues that the election of Barack Obama has accelerated America’s turn towards the “European Model” and its anti-Bourgeois rhetoric