ABSTRACT

The financial crisis of 2008 has revived interest in economic scholarship from a historical perspective. The most in depth studies of the relationship between economics and history can be found in the work of the so-called German Historical School (GHS). The influence of the GHS in the USA and Britain has been well documented, but far less has been written on the rest of Europe.

This volume studies the interconnection between economic thought and economic policy from the mid-nineteenth century to the interwar period. It examines how the School’s ideas spread and was interpreted in different European countries between 1850 and 1930, analysing its legacies in these countries. In doing so, the book is able to trace the interconnection between economic thought and economic policy, adding new voices to the debate on the diffusion of ideas and flow of knowledge. This book identifies issues related to topics such as nationalism and cosmopolitanism in the history of ideas and clarifies themes in policy making that are still currently debated. These include monetary policy and benefits of free trade for all parties involved in international exchanges.

This book will be of a great interest to those who study history of economic thought, economic theory and political economy.

chapter 3|17 pages

Economics, statistics and history 3

The legacy of the German Historical School in Belgium

chapter 4|21 pages

On the surface things seemed quiet

The reception of the German Historical School in the Netherlands

chapter 6|18 pages

The German Historical School in Spain

From the fringes to mainstream (1870–1936)

chapter 9|18 pages

A hundred years of German connection in Turkish economic thought

Historismus and otherwise

chapter 10|18 pages

Sweden and the historical school

Eight scholars going to Germany, 1874–1908

chapter |13 pages

Concluding remarks