This major work provides an assessment of Adolf Lowe's work and explores areas for future research in relation to his important contribution to economics, in particular his belief that economics is inseparable from social inquiry.The book opens with an overall evaluation of Lowe as a perceptive historical, political and sociological observer, presented through a number of personal recollections by Robert Heilbroner, Claus-Dieter Krohn and Marion Countess Donhoff. They analyse Lowe's intellectual and socio-political development during the Weimar Republic and how this period influenced some of his later works. The second part assesses Lowe's major contribution to the development of business cycle theory, and the roots of his analysis of structural and economic change. The book also examines Lowe's pioneering work in the field of traverse analysis. It concludes with a discussion of Lowe as 'economic philosopher' and his concern with the extent to which contemporary Western societies can balance the conflict between freedom and order.

William Petty (1623-1687) was a key figure in the English colonization of Ireland, the institutionalization of experimental natural philosophy, and the creation of social science.
Examining Petty's intellectual development and his invention of "political arithmetic" against the backdrop of the European scientific revolution and the political upheavals of Interregnum and Restoration England and Ireland, this book provides the first comprehensive intellectual biography of Petty based on a thorough examination not only of printed sources but also of Petty's extensive archive and pattern of manuscript circulation. It is also the first fully contextualized study of what political arithmetic--widely seen as an ancestor of modern social and economic analysis--was originally intended to do.
Ted McCormick traces Petty's education among French Jesuits and Dutch Cartesians, his early work with the "Hartlib Circle" of Baconian natural philosophers, inventors, and reformers in England, his involvement in the Cromwellian conquest and settlement of Ireland, and his engagement with both science and the politics of religion in the Restoration. He argues that Petty's crowning achievement, political arithmetic, was less a new way of analyzing economy or society than a new "instrument of government" that applied elements of the new science--a mechanical worldview, a corpuscularian theory of matter, and a Baconian stress on empirical method and the transformative purposes of natural philosophy--to the creation of industrious and loyal populations. Finally, he examines the transformation Petty's program of social engineering, after his death, into an apparently apolitical form of statistical reasoning.

Economics is full of puzzles and paradoxes that often frustrate and challenge everyone, including economists. This engaging book includes fifty puzzles and focuses on three types of paradox. First, everyday observations that appear to belie common sense (such as, why do some supermarket items sell for more per ounce in larger sizes?). Secondly, those paradoxes which have perplexed economists in the past but have since been fairly resolved (such as, the diamond-water paradox). Finally, empirical or conceptual anomalies that remain unresolved and present a challenge to today's economists (such as the voting paradox).Fifty puzzles and paradoxes are analysed in a clear framework. Examples include: the fairness of market wages, the alleged gold absurdity, Giffin goods and the Irish potato famine, the paradox of thrift, the supposed perversity of Wall Street, the leisure paradox, why the best Washington apples are shipped out of state (the Alchian-Allen theorem), the question of whether teachers are underpaid, whether studying economics makes people immoral and whether war is good for the economy. This original and unusual book will have a wide appeal, ranging from the lay person with an interest in everyday economic puzzles, to the student and teacher wishing to develop their understanding of some of the paradoxes that have existed and continue to exist in economics. It will serve as an ideal source for teachers who want to challenge their students with unusual economic problems.

The Austrian Theory of Value and Capital provides a meticulous account of Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk's life, his theory of value, capital and interest within the context of 19th century German economic thought and the development of neoclassical economic theory.This book provides an insight into Bohm-Bawerk's intellectual development, his political leanings and personal background, including a wealth of previously unknown facts. The study also considers the development of economic thought in the 19th century in Germany and Austria. It critically analyses the work and contribution of Bohm-Bawerk and concludes that his analysis belongs to traditional 19th century German economic thought. Closely related to this is the clarification made by the author of what is genuinely 'Austrian' in the 'Austrian theory of value and distribution'. To complement the study of Bohm-Bawerk, the book also contains the first English translation of his letters to Knut Wicksell. This book will be of interest to economic theorists, those interested in Austrian economics and the history of economic thought and economic historians.

Mark Blaug has with good reason been described as the most widely read economist of his generation. He has made important contributions to economic history, cultural economics, the history of economic thought, the methodology of economics and the economics of education.Not Only an Economist reflects the wide range of Professor Blaug's interests and includes new and recent work on Adam Smith, Hayek and Keynes and studies in methodology, as well as new contributions to the economics of education. These are supplemented by essays arguing the economic case for subsidies to the arts. The book concludes with a selection from the one hundred book reviews that he has written over the years.

The Economic Theory of Socialism and the Labour-Managed Firm focuses on market socialism and the relevant debate among economic theorists. It argues that market socialism is the only rational form of socialism and that market socialism with labour-managed firms is by far the best form of market socialism. The book begins with a critical review of the contributions to the economic theory of socialism. The second part discusses the economic theory of labour-managed firms and pays particular attention to the adverse labour-supply curve, underinvestment, monitoring and the separation of ownership and control. The final chapters discuss problems such as the control of economic activity in labour-managed firms, worker motivation and incentives. This book will be of particular use to students and academics interested in comparative economic systems and to specialists in politics and sociology with an interest in alternative forms of economic organization.

This book introduces readers to the latest advances in and approaches to intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making methods. To do so, it explores a range of applications to practical decision-making problems, together with representative case studies. Examining a host of decision-making methods, most of which are based on intuitionistic fuzzy aggregation operators, its goal is to offer readers a new way to study decision-making methods in the intuitionistic fuzzy environment. Chiefly intended for practitioners and researchers working in the areas of risk management, decision-making under uncertainty, and operational research, the book can also be used as supplementary material for graduate and senior undergraduate courses in these areas.

Economic methodologists have traditionally paid very little attention to heterodox economic theories. In this major new book three leading heterodox scholars respond to the influential appraisals of Sraffian, Radical and Marxian economics made by Mark Blaug, the eminent economic methodologist.Heterodox Economic Theories begins with a paper by Ian Steedman on Sraffian economics and the capital controversy. This is followed by papers on radical economics by Michael Reich and Marx's economic analysis by Fred Moseley. Professor Moseley has also written an extensive introduction to the work featured in this volume. Including replies by Mark Blaug and comments by a distinguished group of economic methodologists, this book offers a stimulating debate between heterodox and mainstream economists over the value of three important economic traditions and over the most appropriate methodology for the appraisal of economic theories.

This important collection of essays from the leading writers in the field, focuses on the importance of taking environmental issues into account in the process of development and poverty reduction. This book deepens our understanding of environmental sustainability in a context of economic
growth, putting sustainable development firmly back on the agenda.

Alan Rugman is recognized as one of the leading scholars in the field of international business and his ideas have been extremely influential. The Theory of Multinational Enterprises is the first of two volumes of Rugman's key contributions to the field of international business. The articles in this volume explore aspects of multinational enterprises and apply the theory of internalization to North America, Europe and Japan. Rugman's theoretical approach is extended further as the analysis is related to research on networks and strategic alliances. Included in this volume is a unique and compelling perspective on the development of the field of international business over the past twenty years. Rugman provides the reader with insights into both the intellectual and personal history of the papers. This book is considered vital reading for both academics and policy makers interested in the relationships between multinational enterprises and governments. Together with its companion volume, Multinational Enterprises and Trade Policy, it will improve access to the work of Alan Rugman, one of the most influential scholars working on trade policy and the multinational enterprise.

Beyond Neoclassical Economics is a remarkable introduction to the main heterodox schools of economic thought which examines their main concepts and their critiques of mainstream theory.Offering a wide spectrum of theory and viewpoints that both complement and challenge mainstream and conventional thought, this substantial volume explores schools of thought and traditions poorly covered in most conventional economics textbooks. The schools presented include Austrian economics, Geo-economics, the Virginia School of Political Economy, Institutional economics, Feminist economics, Humanist economics and Non-determinist Marxism. The papers in this volume have been prepared by leading scholars who offer new perspectives on conventional thought, as well as dialogue and commentary between their different approaches to economics. The aim of this major book is not only to understand the thought, methodology, and approach of various economic schools, but also to explain why there are different approaches to economics and how the different schools relate to one another.

This is volume 16 in the "Major Conservative and Libertarian Thinkers" series. The Scottish philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790) was as a pioneer of political economy. In fact, his economic thought became the foundation of classical economics and his key work, "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", is considered to be the first modern work in economics. For Smith, a free competition environment was the best way to foster economic development that would work in accordance with natural laws. The framework he set up to explain the free market remains true to this day. "Major Conservative and Libertarian Thinkers" provides comprehensive accounts of the works of seminal conservative thinkers from a variety of periods, disciplines, and traditions - the first series of its kind. Even the selection of thinkers adds another aspect to conservative thinking, including not only theorists but also writers and practitioners. The series comprises twenty volumes, each including an intellectual biography, historical context, critical exposition of the thinker's work, reception and influence, contemporary relevance, bibliography including references to electronic resources, and an index.

The profession of academic economics has been widely criticized for being excessively dependent on technical models based on unrealistic assumptions about rationality and individual behavior, and yet it remains a sparsely studied area. This volume presents a series of background readings on the profession by leading scholars in the history of economic thought and economic methodology. Adopting a fresh critique, the contributors investigate the individual incentives prevalent in academic economics, describing economists as rational actors who react to their intellectual environment and the incentives for economic research. Timely topics are addressed, including the financial crisis and the consequences for the discipline, as well as more traditional themes such as pluralism in research, academic organizations, teaching methodology, gender issues and professional ethics. This collection will appeal to scholars working on topics related to economic methodology and the teaching of economics.

American Economists of the Late Twentieth Century is a collection of essays on the work of 22 contemporary US economists. The essays summarize, place in perspective and appraise the work of a diverse array of accomplished scholars whose writings respresent the best, the most promising and the most innovative in the US. The economists whose work is discussed include Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Paul Davidson, Nancy Folbre, Robert H. Frank, Robert Heilbroner, David Kahneman and Amos Tversky, Paul Krugman, William Lazonick, Gregg Lewis, Richard R. Nelson and Sidney G. Winter, Mancur Olson, Nathan Rosenberg, Thomas Schelling, Vernon Smith, Robert A. Solo, Joseph Stiglitz, Richard Thaler, Lester Thurow and Oliver E. Williamson. The emphasis of the collection is on both the quality and diversity of the work - of different ways of doing economics as it is presently practised. Warren J. Samuels has brought together a series of original essays written by economists who are distinguished in their own right. Historians of economic thought, methodologists, general economists and specialists in the fields represented by the subjects will welcome American Economists of the Late Twentieth Century as a significant contribution to our understanding of contemporary American economic scholarship.

This important book presents new and original work at the frontiers of economics - namely the interface between artificial intelligence (AI) and neoclassical economics.Artificial Intelligence and Economic Analysis focuses on three quite distinct lines of AI orientated research in economics: applications intended to extend neoclassical theory, applications intended to undermine neoclassical theory and applications which ignore neoclassical theory in the quest for new modelling techniques and fields of analysis. The contributors - all of whom are well established in the field - seek to identify those areas where the science of artificial intelligence could enrich standard economic analysis. It includes material from mainstream economists who are willing to express their own views about the limits of mainstream economic modelling and AI based economic modelling. The book makes an important contribution to a new and exciting area of economics which holds much hope for the future.

This major new book provides an accessible and innovative introduction to general equilibrium analysis and associated welfare economics. In this distinct and refreshing treatment, John Creedy develops a simple two sector model using only diagrams and simple mathematics to ensure that this treatment will be accessible to students.The analysis of exchange and the gains from trade in the context of price taking behaviour are the subject of the first part of the book. Special attention is given to general equilibrium supply and demand curves and, in contrast with partial equilibrium treatments, the possibility of multiple equilibria. Trading at disequilibrium prices, the influence of the numbers of traders and bargaining solutions are then discussed before production is added to the analysis and the two sector model constructed. General Equilibrium and Welfare will be welcomed for its accessible introduction to General Equilibrium analysis and for the strong emphasis it places on exchange, which is closely in line with the work of early neoclassical writers such as Jevons, Walras, Edgeworth and Wicksell.

Volume VII illustrates the administrative aspects that are an on-going component of most economic theory. It demonstrates that before the birth of political economy as a formal discipline, public and private administrators were formulating theories about economic processes as guidelines for administrative decisions. The main theme of this volume revolves around the influence of administrative considerations on the development of economic theory.

The Austrian School forms a concise but comprehensive exposition of the main tenets of the modern Austrian School of Economics while also providing a detailed explanation of the differences between the Austrian and the neoclassical (including the Chicago School) approaches to economics. The book also includes: * reviews of the contributions of the main Austrian economists, critical analysis of the major objections to Austrian economics and an evaluation of its likely future development * complete exposition on the concepts and implications of entrepreneurship and dynamic competition * a new concept of dynamic efficiency (as an alternative to the standard Paretian criterion) and a generalised definition of socialism (as a systematic aggression against entrepreneurship) * evaluation of the role of Spanish Scholastics of the 16th century as forerunners of the Austrian School, as well as the influence and contributions of the main Austrian Scholars of the 19th and 20th centuries. This book will most notably appeal to Austrian economists but also to other free market economists as well as researchers and academics of economic methodology, the history of economic thought, institutional economics and comparative economic systems.

This lucid, up-to-date book takes a fresh look at the application of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to environmental problems ranging from wildlife protection to global warming. Cost-Benefit Analysis and the Environment is structured into two parts. Part one provides a critical up-to-date account of the theory and practice of CBA as applied to the environment. Part two focuses on a number of specific case studies, in particular ozone damage to agricultural crops, wilderness land use, recreation and nitrate pollution. The application of CBA to the greenhouse effect is used to illustrate the limitations of the method. The book summarizes the major problems CBA faces in environmental application. This book will be highly relevant for the growing number of undergraduate and post-graduate courses in environmental economics and management, as well as being of interest both to academics researching in these areas, and to other professionals concerned with project appraisal and the environment.

In 1876, Carl Menger, then a young professor at the University of Vienna, was asked to teach the principles of political economy to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, the 17 year old only son of Emperor Francis Joseph, who was to die tragically before he could inherit the throne.Rudolf's recently discovered Notebooks of these lectures, corrected by Menger, are a fascinating record of what the founder of the Austrian marginalist school thought worth teaching to the heir presumptive of a great power. Without referring to his own theories, Menger delivered a course on the economics of Adam Smith - as presented in the mainstream German textbooks of the time - in such a way that the Notebooks can be viewed as a key document on classical economic liberalism, pure and unadulterated. They cast new light on Menger's own theoretical discoveries, his view of government and his interpretation of classical economics. In this important volume Rudolf's Notebooks are published for the first time both in German and an English translation. The editor's detailed introduction provides the historical and intellectual background to the Notebooks as well as a thorough analysis of classical economics and its treatment by Menger. The text is fully annotated in German and English with its surprising sources traced passage by passage.

This innovative book demonstrates that it is possible to construct a coherent alternative to neoclassical economics based on the contributions of post Keynesian and Kaleckian economists. It identifies elements from the non-orthodox traditions, in particular from the neo-Ricardian school, that can be welded into a convincing alternative theoretical framework. The building blocks of this synthesis are the non-neo-classical microeconomic foundations of the theory of choice and of the firm. By emphasizing the consequences of a world characterized by true uncertainty and oligopolistic dominance, Marc Lavoie extends short-period paradoxes to the analysis of the long period, and bases these macroeconomic results on microeconomic foundations.

'Kurz and Salvadori have done researchers on Ricardo a great service with their compilation of these essays.' - EH.Net 'Do we have to know today what Ricardo wrote two hundred years ago? Can we still learn from him? Of course, we can! The book edited by Heinz D. Kurz and Neri Salvadori provides highly instructive insights into the work and importance of David Ricardo, the ''economists' economist'', as Paul Samuelson dubbed him.' - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Arguably one of the most important economists who has lived, Ricardo's impact on the economics profession is immense. This unique and comprehensive Companion elucidates his significance and continuing legacy. Ricardo made major contributions to all fields of the subject, from monetary issues to value and income distribution, from capital accumulation, technical progress and economic growth to foreign trade and international specialization, and from taxes to public debt. What he called the main problem of political economy, the distribution of income and wealth, is again back on the political and economic agenda with a vengeance. Leading experts in the field explore his influence and offer novel interpretations of received doctrines. The concise yet comprehensive entries are arranged alphabetically for ease of use with cross references and suggestions for further reading. The Companion will serve as the standard reference work for all those engaged in the field of classical economics. It will also be essential reading for scholars and researchers interested in the history of economic thought, macroeconomics and political economy. Contributors include: R. Arena, T. Aspromourgos, M.S. Asslander, R.E. Backhouse, I. Barens, E. Bellino, C. Bidard, S. Blankenburg, C. Casarosa, R. Ciccone, S. Cremaschi, M. Dardi, G. Deleplace, T. Dome, G. Erreygers, G. Faccarello, R. Faucci, D. Fiaschi, S. Fratini, G. Freni, C. Gehrke, A.F. Gilbert, G. Gilibert, P. Groenewegen, D. Haas, H. Hagemann, A. Heertje, J.E. King, H. Klausinger, H.D. Kurz, A. Maneschi, M.C. Marcuzzo, F. Meacci, M. Milgate, G. Mongiovi, F. Moseley, D.P.O'Brien, A. Opocher, A. Palumbo, S. Parrinello, C. Perrotta, M. Pivetti, P.L. Porta, A. Quadrio Curzio, S.A.T. Rizvi, A. Rosselli, C. Rotondi, N. Salvadori, R. Signorino, N. Sigot, M. Smith, A. Stirati, R. Sturn, P. Trabucchi, H.-M. Trautwein, P. Tubaro, K. Watarai

This book is a unique blend of difference equations theory and its exciting applications to economics. It deals with not only theory of linear (and linearized) difference equations, but also nonlinear dynamical systems which have been widely applied to economic analysis in recent years. It studies most important concepts and theorems in difference equations theory in a way that can be understood by anyone who has basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. It contains well-known applications and many recent developments in different fields of economics. The book also simulates many models to illustrate paths of economic dynamics.

Key Features:

.A unique book concentrated on theory of discrete dynamical systems and its traditional as well as advanced applications to economics.
.Mathematical definitions and theorems are introduced in a systematic and easily accessible way.
.Examples are from almost all fields of economics; technically proceeding from basic to advanced topics.
.Lively illustrations with numerous figures.
.Numerous simulation to see paths of economic dynamics.
.Comprehensive treatment of the subject with a comprehensive and easily accessible approach.
Key Features:

.A unique book concentrated on theory of discrete dynamical systems and its traditional as well as advanced applications to economics.
.Mathematical definitions and theorems are introduced in a systematic and easily accessible way.
.Examples are from almost all fields of economics; technically proceeding from basic to advanced topics.
.Lively illustrations with numerous figures.
.Numerous simulation to see paths of economic dynamics.
.Comprehensive treatment of the subject with a comprehensive and easily accessible approach."

Exploring the modern approach to the economics of happiness, which came about with the Easterlin Paradox, this book analyses and assesses the idea that as a country gets richer the happiness of its citizens remains the same. The book moves through three distinct pillars of study in the field: first analysing the historical and philosophical foundations of the debate; then the methodological and measurements issues and their political implications; and finally empirical applications and discussion about what determines a happy life. A Modern Guide to the Economics of Happiness extends the concept of happiness to that of wellbeing, offering an inquiry into well-being within the paradigm of complex systems. It draws together both recent developments in studies on the economics of happiness as well as its historical roots, covering the concept of Eudaimonia, Aristotle's theories and the important contribution of Italian economists. Critical case studies look at the relationship between physical activity and wellbeing, the value of family for life satisfaction, and the role of social capital for migrant acceptance. An invigorating read for economics and psychology scholars, this book will also be of interest to those researching welfare and development economics.

This book explores official statistics and their social function in modern societies. Digitisation and globalisation are creating completely new opportunities and risks, a context in which facts (can) play an enormously important part if they are produced with a quality that makes them credible and purpose-specific. In order for this to actually happen, official statistics must continue to actively pursue the modernisation of their working methods. This book is not about the technical and methodological challenges associated with digitisation and globalisation; rather, it focuses on statistical sociology, which scientifically deals with the peculiarities and pitfalls of governing-by-numbers, and assigns statistics a suitable position in the future informational ecosystem. Further, the book provides a comprehensive overview of modern issues in official statistics, embodied in a historical and conceptual framework that endows it with different and innovative perspectives. Central to this work is the quality of statistical information provided by official statistics. The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the form of indicators is another driving force in the search for answers, and is addressed here. This book will be of interest to a broad readership. The topics of sociology, epistemology, statistical history and the management of production processes, which are important for official statistics and their role in social decision-making processes, are generally not dealt with in statistics books. The book is primary intended for official statisticians, but researchers and advanced students in statistics, economics, sociology and the political sciences will find the book equally stimulating. Last but not least, it offers a valuable source of reflection for policymakers and stakeholders.