ABSTRACT
Two key reasons have determined the choice of the second half of the nineteenth century, as a period of study of the evolution of economic thought and policy in Serbia. First, this historical period is certainly one of the most important for the country, bearing in mind that Serbia gained its freedom and attained international recognition and independence – after several centuries of slavery under the Ottoman Empire. Independence marked the overcoming of feudal relations and the entry into capitalist social and economic relations. Second, papers on economic theory and economic policy appeared in that period (whereas one must not forget that many elements of economic thought can be found in various sources and the cultural heritage of medieval Serbia).
