This paper was written in response to an article entitled "Defining the Social Studies: An Explanation of the Three Traditions" by James L. Barth and S. Samuel Shermis. The three positions portray social studies as citizenship transmission; as social science; and as reflective inquiry. These authors favor the latter position, defined as a process of decision making as to significant social problems perceived by students to be of considerable concern to them. An alternative position is proposed in this paper, namely, that the structure of economics should be an important organizing vehicle in the social studies and presents a case for a fourth tradition. The structure of a discipline should be defined as the interrelationships of its important concepts and the concepts of science as a tool for repetitive assistance to a reflective inquirer. Problems for inquiry must be selected and organized so as to lead to an understanding of such a structure. The paper concludes with a further detailing of the case for economics education, pointing out the essential nature of the need for more citizens to understand and apply economic concepts in individual, business, political, and societal matters. (Author/SJM)