invisible hand, or slap in the face? getting real about capitalism

Utilising what has recently come to be known as a 'realist' approach to political theorising, this research project aims to offer the first extended answer to an important but frequently overlooked question: does contemporary Anglo-American political theory pay sufficient attention to the dynamics of twenty-first century capitalism? Through an in-depth theoretical analysis of the way in which leading liberal and libertarian thinkers conceptualise the economic system under which they (and everyone else) live, I will argue that much contemporary political theory has a tendency to neglect and romanticise the precise ways in which capitalism functions. As well as making this distinct intellectual contribution (potentially prompting re-evaluations of the relative theoretical sophistication of liberalism, libertarianism and realism respectively), the usefulness of the project will also, I hope, extend beyond the confines of the university: if neglect and idealisation are found to often characterise scholarly engagements with capitalism, realist analyses may also make an important contribution to ongoing civic discussion concerning capitalism's relative merits and deficiencies.