The term "economics" replaced "political economy" for reasons explained in the wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_economy

But the real reason is that you can't study economics without looking at the political
system - and to avoid reviewing the politics - they erased the word. Then we think of
economics as matters of quantitative profit and loss, market share in markets - without
considering the larger picture that if the "food market" is a political concern first
and foremost - and "economy" as we see it - the mechanism for delivering a political
good to keep the masses from rising up.

In this progressive forum, we should reuunite the political to the economic. Like
RichM states in this post: The underlying economic system is the foundation of power. It sets limits on the kind of society that can be built on that foundation. The system has its core dogma; its sacred points of doctrine. The dogma can't be challenged without threatening the social structure. Those at the top of the social structure will naturally defend the dogma, often by stifling attempts to examine it.
http://www.progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=81533&mesg_id=81533

They stifle the attempts to examine it by erasing the word political and pretending
that its a different university department, and not related - fundamentals that cannot
be questioned indeed.