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A History of Economic Thought Paperback – November 15, 2000


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Product Details

  • Paperback: 393 pages
  • Publisher: Princeton University Press (November 15, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0691070148
  • ISBN-13: 978-0691070148
  • Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Robbins taught at the London School of Economics (LSE) from 1929 to 1961, directed the economic section of the British War Cabinet during World War II, and served as chair of the Financial Times from 1961 until 1970. In 1980, he began a series of 33 lectures at LSE in which he discussed the history of economic thought, from Plato and Aristotle to Alfred Marshall and John Maynard Keynes, and the intellectual and practical errors associated with its development. With a profound sense of humor and highly engaging anecdotes, this master teacher provided an unusual opportunity to discover not only the ideas but also the very different frames of reference that inspired the contributions of these great minds to our present understanding of economics. Essential reading for instructors, students, and practitioners alike, this is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.ANorman B. Hutcherson, Beale Memorial Lib., Bakersfield, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Everything about this book breathes affection: Lionel Robbins's concern for his students down the decades, the editors' sensitive treatment of their subject, and Professor William Baumol's modest justification for his foreward: 'I was there!'"--Arthur Seldon, Times Literary Supplement

"For anyone who has taught a course in the history of economic thought or who has more than a passing interest in the field, this book will be a delight."--Choice

"As the 20th century draws to a close, the history of economic thought is beginning to look different, and the publication of Lionel Robbins's London School of Economics lectures on the subject will contribute to this process of rethinking. . . . A welcome relief from the ponderousness of many volumes on this subject."--Virginia Quarterly Review

"The book . . . is filled with insights. . . . The editors, in order to retain to the fullest the inimitable flavor of Robbins' personality, have wisely not tidied up the text. . . . [They] deserve high praise for making these fine lectures available."--Mises Review

"With a profound sense of humor and highly engaging anecdotes, this master teacher provided an unusual opportunity to discover not only the ideas but also the very different frames of reference that inspired the contributions of these great minds to our present understanding of economics. Essential reading."--Library Journal

"These lectures reflect Robbins' two personae--the scholarly exponent of the centuries of economic thought and the passionate advocate of classical liberalism. A decisive part of his intellectual armoury was his often elegant, classical spoken English, which evoked a mixture of awe and wonder. In his LSE lectures, which he may have felt were his last epistles to posterity, the language is more informal, sometimes, colloquial, even unfamiliarly conversational."--Arthur Seldon, Times Literary Supplement

"Robbins obviously loved the history of economic thought, but the passion that shows through on each page of this book is more than a passion for the history of economics. Robbins loved the discipline of economics itself, and the lectures reflect the gusto with which he had spent his life pursuing its mastery."--Bradley W. Bateman, EH.NET

Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful By James R. Maclean on August 9, 2001
Format: Paperback
Make no mistake: Robbins knows his stuff, he's fair, correct, and surprisingly open-minded. However, this is a transcription of lectures, and the syntax is contorted. He interrupts the flow of every other sentence to insert some qualifier or oral footnote, and the effect can be maddening. This is too much to read for the depth of treatment you will actually get. If you do read it, you will get a pretty swell reading list, but the material is definitely weighted in favor of antiquarian literature and ancient disputes. I personally found it a pleasant read, because I like old books and economics, and I felt a certain affection for the grand old man, but unless you share these tastes, you're bound to be frustrated
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful By MrSherlockHolmes on March 11, 2004
Format: Paperback
This series of lectures sheds light on the major contributors to Economic thought since Plato and Aristotle. Since the book is made up of transcripts of his lectures, he doesn't manage to cover the figures or the ideas in depth. However he does manage to give some guidelines as to what you should read if you want to be well informed on the history of Economic thought.
I did not find the language in it frustrating, it just made the book seem like a personal lecture with Robbins (minus the questions) which added to my enjoyment. He stops at Fisher, so if you were hoping for ideas and icons after that, you will be disappointed.
The book is split into five sections. The first deals with those philosophers that preceded the formal study of economics; Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas etc... Very interesting stuff, especially if you aren't familiar with the relationship between the ancients and economics.
The second to the fourth sections deal with famous economists, from Adam Smith to Karl Marx. His treatment of Marx is brief so don't expect anything more than a few pages. While he goes into some length about Adam Smith and the other classical economists.
Finally he lectures on Jevons, Menger and others of the "Marginal Revolution", ending his series of lectures with Fisher.
A good read, I would recommend it to undergraduates in Economics or any one else who is interested in the history of economic ideas.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful By Merope on April 22, 2002
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This is a collection of lectures given at the LSE. So DON'T think it is a history. Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive journey from aristotle's economica thru the modern era. Good as a reference. Not bad as a read -- but be aware you are reading a transcribed lecture and adjust your expectations accordingly.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful By Hans G. Despain on April 30, 2012
Format: Paperback
This is Lionel Robbins 1979 lectures on history of economic thought he taught at London School of Economics. These lectures are a very enjoyable read. But they function much better as a supplement to original material, or even a supplement to another history of economic thought text such as Schumpeter's "History of Economic Analysis" or to "A Companion To The History of Economic Thought" edited by Samuels, Biddle, and Davis.

There is a lot to be reinforced by reading these lectures, but they function far less successfully as an introduction to the history of economic thought, than as a complement to other texts or a Professor's lectures.

I learned a lot from reading and rereading these lectures, it is too bad they are not available on utube.

Robbins is particular strong on Adam Smith, lectures, 13, 14, 15, and 16; and the Marginal Revolution, lectures 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33. He is impressive on Mercantilism, lectures 4 and 5, and generally remarkably erudite throughout, but unfortunately weak on the Historical school, lectures 25-6 and Marx, lectures 24-5.

Overall very enjoyable read, but there are dozens of digressions (for example how he and the Marxian Cambridge economist Maurice Dobb rarely disagreed on grading and ranking doctorial exams p. 317). The citations for further reading are incredible and there is a reading list in the appendix that is worth the purchase of the book itself.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful By Andres C. Salama on December 23, 2007
Format: Paperback
The book is the transcription of the lectures Lionel Robbins gave in the London School of Economics during 1979 on the History of Economic Thought. The material covered goes from Plato to Fisher (very few developments from the 20th century are included). Since the book is verbatim transcripts of the lectures, there is not much depth here. Therefore, a conventional book by Robbins on the subject would have been preferred (that he knew the subject, there can be no questions of). Also, the coverage varies: there is ample stuff on Smith and the early mercantilists, but the material on Marx and Walras, for example, is frustratingly short. Still, for those starting in the subject, this is an OK read.
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