When an attack is carried on a science it must be based on the failings of such science. As I tried to make clear in my posting, most of what is served as economic prescription is actually hocus-pocus without grounds in economic science. I would also reaffirm that any social system that is based on individual choice is preferable to one where choice is made on behalf of the individual. And I argue that Economics as a science is very well suited to study the question of individual choice. Not really, except in such cases where externalities do not exist.
Externalities often exists because of market imperfections or failure.
I don't think so. In an ideal democracy mechanisms that would allow society to choose among all possible outcomes those that are best suited for such society. Other countries such as the Scandinavian countries may prefer a high degree of equality and a high level of unemployment -there are trade offs as you see. Once an agreement exists then policies can be developed to carry out such agreement. Now, this policy making has as much to do with Economics as it has with other social sciences.