In the Shadow of Adam Smith: Founders of Scottish Economics 1700-1900

ISBN-13: 9780230252097 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 352 str.

Donald Rutherford

Opis

A large number of Scottish writers in economics are discussed according to a thematic approach. The distinctive Scottish contribution to the clash between natural liberty and socialist ideas is set out.

Spis treści

Preface 1 Introduction 2 Trade International Trade Exchange Economy Value 3 Money Functions of Money Paper Credit Banking 4 Public Finance Functions of Government Taxation National Debt 5 Condition of the People Population Property Rights and Rent Profits and Wages Poverty 6 Condition of the Economy Economic Growth Economic Development 7 Economic Ideology Natural Liberty Socialism 8 Conclusions Appendix: Biographical sketches of the major Scottish writers Bibliography Index.

O autorze

DONALD RUTHERFORD is the Director of Studies at the University of Edinburgh, School of Economics, UK. After a short sojourn in the City of London, UK, as an investment analyst and financial journalist Rutherford came to Edinburgh University, where he is an Honorary Fellow in the School of Economics. A wide range of teaching has enabled him to acquire an extensive knowledge of economics, the basis for a dictionary of economics and other reference works. His principal interest is the history of economic thought, especially Scottish economics.

Blurb

Adam Smith, who has towered over economics for more than two hundred years, was not alone in Scotland in creating systems of analysis which would explain how economies function and prosper. Writers of various backgrounds – there being no such profession as 'economist' – who were inspired by issues of the day as well as by the writings of Smith and other Scots, made significant contributions to the development of economic theory and policy that are often overlooked today.

In the Shadow of Adam Smith, a landmark work in the history of economic thought, surveys and integrates the ideas of eighty Scottish writers from the 18th and 19th centuries to reveal a startlingly rich tapestry of argument and debate on a wide variety
of economic subjects, both philosophical and practical, that remain highly pertinent today. Government debt, economic growth, banking, credit, taxation – all were tackled by this remarkable, diverse collection of writers. Through reading their contributions to
economics we both understand modern economic issues and thought more deeply, and gain a richer understanding of Adam Smith's thought and inheritance.

Written in a crisp and readable style with a minimum of technical detail, this is an ideal book for students of the history of economics, as well as academics and general readers.