Foundations of the American Economy: The American Colonies from Inception to Independence (Early American Economic Thought) [Hardcover]

William J. Barber (Editor), Malcolm Rutherford (Editor), Steven G. Medema (Editor), Marianne Johnson (Editor), Warren J. Samuels (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2003 | Series: Early American Economic Thought

This collection brings together a comprehensive selection of documents from the history of US and Canadian economic thought from the seventeenth century through to 1900. Part I covers the early colonial period. The earliest American economic writings highlight the struggles over and transformation from a theocratic to a secular materialist commercial society. Correspondingly, writings relate to the establishment and transformation of the legal foundations and framework of the new economic order. Clearly related to these themes were writings showing conflicts over individualism, democracy, and the structure of political and economic power amongst the colonists and between the colonists and Great Britain. Writings address important, controversial and technical problems of colonial money, credit, and debt, including the chronic currency shortages suffered by the colonists. The last two volumes relate the colonial perspective of mercantilism, British colonial policy, and free trade.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The set is a valuable resource for colonial and intellectual historians, as well as historians of economics.' Reference and Research Book News

About the Author

Warren J Samuels is at Michigan State University. His publications include The Classical Theory of Economic Policy (1966) Marianne Johnson is at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh William J Barber is at Wesleyan University, and his publications include A History of Economic Thought (1967) Malcolm Rutherford is at the University of Victoria. His publications include Institutions in Economics: the old and the new institutionalism (1994) Steven G Medema is at the University of Colorado, Denver and is author of Ronald H Coase (1994)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 2104 pages
• Publisher: Pickering & Chatto Ltd (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1851967273
• ISBN-13: 978-1851967278
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 6.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,850,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)