Vilfredo Pareto was one of the great systems theorists of the Twentieth Century, embracing economics, psychology, sociology and politics. In this important work, Michael McLure takes as his subject of study the rapport between Pareto's economic and sociological theory, and consequently, illuminates the role of economics in public policy development. A central theme running through this book is the overarching role of the 'mechanical analogy' in all of Pareto's work. Important aspects and implications of Pareto's work considered by the author include: relations between pure economic theory and general sociology the problem of collective economic welfare the juxtaposition of Pareto's political sociology to Buchanan's public choice/constitutional economics Pareto and methodology implications for public policy and government Emerging from this investigation is a new, multi-disciplinary research framework for economists, sociologists and political scientists, and an invaluable 'Paretian' framework for the study of government and public policy.