Coase on the nature of economics

Recent writings on Coase's methodology largely focus on method, at the risk of underappreciating his substantive view of economics. That economics has as its subject matter the working of the real world economic system is Coase's main methodological message and is also the key to understanding Coase's other methodological concerns. Coase's methodological position is illustrated in this paper by comparing him with other economists in terms of their differing research programmes informed by their methodological stances. Along the way, this paper outlines the new institutional economics, a research programme inspired by Coase's methodology.