Writing off the invisible hand that feeds them

[A recent study] surveyed all Harvard University Press titles published (in first edition) between 2000 and well into 2010, making 10+ years of publication, in the subject areas of Business & Economics, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology, as well as a residual of Law titles. A large number of titles were initially removed from the survey because the book title suggested little connection or platform for political ideology. After making these removals, 494 titles remained, and the ideological outlook of each was assessed. The results show that Harvard University Press leans heavily to the left. In fact, over the 10+ years surveyed only eight of the 494 titles, or 2 percent, had an outlook that was conspicuously either classical liberal or conservative.

This is truly appalling — I mean, surely there must be lots and lots of exciting new developments in classical liberalism to write about in this day and age.

But Doctor Easychair gets to the nub of it: “Yet the books themselves are sold on the free market.”

No, don’t laugh — this is serious!

 
UPDATE

Another hypocrisy of our times: Books like these are sold in paperback editions.