Zur Geschichte der englischen Volkswirthschaftslehre aus dem III. Bande der Abhandlungen der Königlich Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften

The opening chapters trace the rise of England’s “golden age” of political economy, beginning with the early essays of David Hume and culminating in the death of David Ricardo. Within this vibrant period, Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus and Ricardo form a tightly interwoven chorus, each picking up the thread left by his predecessor while expanding the discipline with distinct, original insights. Their work bridges the gap between abstract theory and everyday practice, shaping a school of thought that feels both universally scientific and unmistakably English in its reliance on national politics, geography and history.

Later sections turn to the nineteenth‑century figures—Senior, MacCulloch, Torrens, Tooke and others—who refined the classic methods without fundamentally reinventing them. The author contrasts these diligent scholars with the earlier visionary geniuses, noting how the latter’s unanswered questions still echo today. Even as the discipline evolves, the public fascination with political economy continues to grow, a testament to the lasting influence of those foundational English thinkers.