Hobson's 'The Evolution of Modern Capitalism' was first published in 1894, although this reissue is of the fourth edition, published in 1926. The work traces the developments in trade and industry which characterised the first decades of the 20th century. In the first part, Hobson deals with the origins and structure of modern capitalism, including the development of the machine industry, the changing structure of trades and markets, and the effects of these on workers and consumers. The final supplementary chapter considers the impact of World War I on this changing economy, and the...

First published in 1921, 'Problems of a New World' deals with the economic and political issues that arose from the First World War. The first three parts of the study consider the world before the war, and the interests, purposes and ideals which influenced the national psyche during the years which followed. In the final two parts, Hobson assesses the political and economic conditions confronted by the post-war world, with a particular focus on the impact of war on industry, labour and the ideals of nationhood.

First published in 1915, 'Towards International Government' considers the consequences of war for global diplomacy and the alliance system. Hobson argues that, to reduce armaments and the possibility of another world war, an organisational structure of international government must be put into place. An extension of the 'League of Nations', Hobson proposes that this council would need to hold legislative powers enabling it to impose economic sanctions and, if necessary, the ability to deploy an international force.

'The Industrial System' provides a complex analysis of distribution and consumption. Offering a critique of contemporary capitalism whilst accepting the superiority of the free market, the book includes an exploration of areas such as cost and surplus, supply and demand and the labour movement. This is an important work by one of the most important economic thinkers of the twentieth century, which will be of particular interest to modern economic historians.

First written in 1902, this text was undoubtedly Hobson's most prolific work. Yet he wrote frequently about the topic of imperialism of the course of his career, and a number of his articles are included in this collection, first published in 1992.

The articles in this volume, originally published in a variety of journals between 1890 and 1937, deal with the themes of the distribution of income and welfare. Highlighting the contribution which Hobson made to welfare economics and the way in which he distanced himself from his more orthodox contemporaries in interpretation, the articles also show the changes in Hobson's views over the decades in which they were written.

'The Physiology of Industry' is a remarkable work which set out to challenge the current theory surrounding the economics of labour, supply and demand. First published in 1889, Hobson's first book outlines some of the key areas of his theory of underconsumption. The precise contribution of Mummery, who died in a mountaineering accident in 1895, is unclear, although Hobson did state that it was heated debates with the businessman that gave him faith in these theories. The chapters analyse the nature of production, the relationship between wealth and consumption, the influence of the supply of...

First published in 1931, this Routledge Revivals title reissues J.A Hobson's analysis of financial distribution in the early years of Twentieth Century Britain. The book focuses on the moral questions that he considered to be important in regard to the economic reforms that were necessary to secure the utilisation of modern productivity for the welfare of mankind. In this work, Hobson considers the wasteful working of the economic system, with its over-production, under-consumption and unemployment and states that these errors are due to the unfair way in which income is apportioned among the...

First published in 1930, this book endeavours to trace and express the relations between economic and human values, between wealth and life. Hobson studies everything from the role of production processes and consumption in the determination of human welfare; to the changing attitudes of economic science towards ethical considerations; as well as the tendency of organised society to exercise a control of economic processes in the interests of equity, humanity, and social order. Part I of the book deals with an attempt to provide an intelligible and consistent meaning for human value and...