Title: Haiku economics: little teaching aids for big economic pluralists

Authors: Stephen T. Ziliak

Addresses: Department of Economics, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA

Abstract: Haiku is a distinguished (if short) form of poetry with roots dating back to 17th century Japan. Poets understand that haiku is the most efficient form of economic speech. But technical efficiency is not the only or even the main goal of writing haiku. Haiku clear a trail for enlightenment and stimulate open discussion. A wide variety of poets, from Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) to Richard Wright (1908-1960), have practiced writing haiku simply to improve their own powers of observation. To date, haiku and economics have not been explored together and certainly not at the level of principles. This article introduces a new field of inquiry, |haiku economics|, and offers tips on how to the start the journey in a classroom setting.

Keywords: haiku; poetry; pluralism; efficiency; economical writing; Jeremy Bentham; John Stuart Mill; economics education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2009.028969

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2009 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.108 - 129

Published online: 16 Oct 2009 *

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