Taking a theoretical, conceptual and empirical approach and using real-life case studies, Social Costs and Public Action in Modern Capitalism examines current analyses of the global capitalist market economy.

Introduction 1. Freedom to Plan: On Kapp's Institutional Outlook 2. Political Democracy and Social Costs: Reading K.W. Kapp's 'Political Economy' Today 3. Social Costs, Social Rights and the Limits of Free Market Capitalism: A Re-reading of Kapp 4. Increasing Complexity in the 'New' Economy and Coordination Requirements beyond the 'Market': Blockages and Lock-ins as Social Costs and a New Governance to Mitigate Them 5. Policy for Social Costs: Kapp V. Neoclassical Economics 6. Improved Allocation through Environmental Taxes?: Theory and Reality: The Example of Germany 7. Unemployment as a Social Cost 8. Social Costs and Human Health: Kapp's Approach and its Growing Relevance Today 9. Impact of Economic and Labour Market Policy on Health: Health Costs of the 'Transition Process' in Central and Eastern Europe

Wolfram Elsner, Pietro Frigato, Paolo Ramazzotti