The writings on the theory of economic growth share almost without exception two characteristics - they deal exclusively with steady growth or equilibrium dynamics, and they try to predict the actual course of long-term development on the basis of greatly oversimplified behaviour assumptions. This book, first published in 1976, studies the many variants of a disequilibrium path, which growth processes pursue under the impact of major growth stimuli - changes in labour supply, in natural resources, and in technology. The study gives direction to public policies, sharply distinguishing between the requirements of market economies and of planned systems.

Arguing that the disciplines of economics and sociology are inter-related and vitally important to each other, this book discusses major issues such as the effects of urbanization, population growth, and the growth of various forms of nationalism from both economic and socio-political viewpoints. In addition the significance and limits of pure economics are examined, as are the sociological factors in modern economic theory, as well as power and economic law.