George Warde Norman was a Director of the Bank of England from 1821 to 1872, a key figure behind the Bank Charter Act of 1844, and one of the founders of the Political Economy Club. In 1821 G.W. Norman began an essay on taxation as part of the utilitarian programme. His vision was of increased human happiness through a wholesale reform of the revenue system founded upon direct taxation in the form of a comprehensive property tax. He continued to work on the essay over many years, never losing his faith in the utilitarian ideal or his belief in the property tax solution as the key to fiscal...

The literature of monetary economics has been characterised by controversy and changes in the received wisdom throughout its history. The controversies have related not merely to the effects on incomes and prices of changes in the money supply, but even to the question of whether causality runs from money to incomes and prices or vice versa. This book begins with the pioneering work of the sixteenth century French writer Jean Bodin, followed by the celebrated John Law, and John Locke (and his eighteenth century critics). It considers both the theory and the evidence involved in the...

In this reassessment of the 19th century monetary theorist and banking reformer, Thomas Joplin, Professor O'Brien sets out to place his subject in a new perspective. He discusses Joplin's role as a reformer and his relationships with fellow economists and explores such issues as the problems of paper currency, the principle of metallic fluctuation, agricultural prices and the monetary system and the structure of banking.