Marcuse and Benhabib / political economy

[kenneth.mackendrick]

I was wondering, does anyone know, or think, that Seyla Benhabib's critical theory 
- especially her two essays "the generalized and the concrete other" and "in the 
shadow of aristotle and hegel" is a reading of habermas through marcuse?  Instead 
of Hegel - is the notion of an anticipatory utopia and a critical diagnostic more from 
marcuse's _reason and revolution_ than a reformulated critique of 
habermas's neo-kantianism?

Furthermore - I recently read an interview with Axel Honneth who maintained that a 
third generation of critical theorists has yet to emerge - since such a generation 
could only claim frankfurt school ties if they continued with the project of an 
ideology-critique of political economy.  so despite the many essays and books 
which argue that we need to go "back to adorno" (like robert hullot-kenter, deborah 
cook, j.m. bernstein, jack zipes, jameson, etc.) is anyone actually working on 
detailed connections between critical theory and economics?  most of my research 
has centered around habermas's discourse ethics or his legal theory - does 
anyone have any references for decent critiques of political economy - which 
directly addresses issues of transnational capitalism, the money markets, 
stockmarket speculation, the tax system, systemic violence, poverty etc? 

thanks,
ken