This book investigates the validity of applying mainstream economic mathematical modeling to social phenomena, arguing that such an approach is fundamentally reductive and flawed. Ben Fine, a professor of economics, critiques the growing trend of quantifying social capital by treating complex human interactions as measurable units similar to physical capital. He posits that social factors are inherently qualitative and that the attempt to subsume sociology and politics into economic analysis ignores the nuanced realities of social structures.

Scholars and economists frequently cite this work as a rigorous challenge to the 'economics imperialism' that seeks to standardize social variables. It is widely regarded as a foundational text for those studying the intersection of political economy and social theory.