The Foundations of Economics: History and Theory in the Analysis of Economic Reality

ISBN-13: 9783642773204 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 358 str.

Walter Eucken; T. W. Hutchison

Opis

THE FIRST GERMAN edition of this book appeared in 1940. Since then the book has gone through five more editions and has been translated into Spanish and Italian. The present English translation is based on the sixth German edition. The author was Professor of Economics at the University of Freiburg, Germany. Professor Eucken was a student at a time when the Historical School dominated the teaching of econo mics at the German universities. Although, at the beginning of his career, he did some work along the lines of the Historical School, neither the ims nor the methods of historical research the field of economics as practised by the representatives in of the Historical School satisfied him; and the fact that the members of this school were unable to explain the causes of economic events such as the German inflation after World War I was an added reason for him to turn to economic theory. He became, among German economists, the foremost opponent of the Historical School, which he criticised in several publica tions. Through his wrItings and his teaching he contributed his share to the revival of interest in economic theory which was noticeable in the 'twenties. And he was one of the few economists left in Germany who helped to keep this interest alive during the 'thirties and during World War II. During this time he published Kapitaltheoretische Untersuchungen (1936), and the present volume, which immediately gave rise to an extensive discussion in German economic journals."

Spis treści

Preface by the Author.- Preface by the Author.- Translator’s Note.- Translator’s Note.- I. The First Main Problem of Economics.- I. The Main Problem of Economics and Its Origin in Everyday Life.- I. Facts and Questions.- 1. The First Approach.- 2. The Five Aspects of the Main Problem.- 3. An Addition.- 4. Criticism and Counter-Criticism.- II. Everyday Experience.- II. The Double Nature of the Problem—The Great Antinomy.- I. The Individual-Historical Approach.- II. The General-Theoretical Approach.- III. The Great Antinomy.- II. A Critique of Economics: A Second Main Problem.- I. Introduction.- II. “Stages” and “Styles” of Economic Development.- I. The Procedure.- II. The Procedure Criticised—A Second Main Problem.- A. “Stages” of Economic Development.- B. “Economic Systems” as contrasted with “Styles” of Economic Development.- 1. The Historical Facts.- 2. The Different Economic Systems.- 3. “Styles” of Economic Development.- 4. “Capitalism”.- C. Can there be Theories Limited in Applicability to a Particular Period?.- III. Scientific Understanding of Economic Reality.- I. Economic Facts.- I. Facts about the Present.- II. Facts about the Past.- II. The Different Types of Economic System.- I. The Centrally Directed Economy: Its Two Forms.- II. The Exchange Economy—Introduction.- A. The Forms of Market.- 1. The Two Basic Forms of Supply and Demand.- 2. “Open” Forms of Supply and Demand.- 3. “Closed” Forms of Supply and Demand.- 4. Some Conclusions about the Forms of Market.- B. The Main Forms of Monetary Economy and the Types of Monetary System.- 1. The Two Main Forms of Monetary Economy.- 2. The Types of Monetary System.- III. The Task.- III. Analysis of the Different Types of Economic System—The Data.- I. The Analysis of the Totally Centralised Economy.- A. The Basis of the Economic Plan: the Data and the Empirical Rules.- 1. The Data.- 2. The Empirical Rules.- B. Risk.- II. The Analysis of the Exchange Economy—A Preliminary Survey.- III. Interdependence in the Different Types of Economic System.- IV. The Data.- IV. The Economic System and the Course of Economic Events: The Theory Applied.- I. The Understanding of the Different Economic Systems.- II. Understanding the Course of Economic Events: The Theory Applied.- III. A Simple Case.- IV. Economic Development.- V. Economic Power.- V. Man in His Economic Life.- VI. Conclusion.- Notes.- Index of Names.- Index of Subjects.