ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the interdisciplinary field of political economy outside the economics discipline. It tries to offer such a conceptualization partly to help bring together existing but typically self-standing arguments about different elements of the political economy of housing. This partly to help frame and connect up on-going research in this area; and partly to insist that political-economic analysis more generally must take housing seriously. In today's world, where housing is so often discussed in the abstract, depersonalized terms of exchange, Marx's inherently socialized framing of political economy remains as vital as ever, even if his particular dualistic depiction requires revisiting. The political promotion of homeownership takes many forms, but none perhaps more transparent than housing privatization initiatives from the Right-to-Buy in the UK and housing privatization as shock-absorber in many post-communist countries to many demolish subsidized housing and replace by private housing schemes throughout advanced capitalist countries.
