author
Arthur Latham Perry
1830–1905
A leading American economist of the 19th century, he taught at Williams College for decades and became widely known for textbooks that argued strongly for free trade. He also wrote local history, bringing the story of Williamstown and Williams College to a broader audience.
1 Audiobook
Principles of Political Economy
by Arthur Latham Perry
About the author
Born in Lyme, New Hampshire, in 1830, Arthur Latham Perry rose from a difficult childhood to become one of the best-known American writers on political economy of his era. He graduated from Williams College in 1852 and soon joined its faculty, later serving for many years as Orrin Sage Professor of History and Political Economy.
Perry was especially known for his clear, popular textbooks on economics, including Elements of Political Economy and later Principles of Political Economy. His work argued for free trade and helped shape how economics was taught to generations of students in the United States.
Beyond economics, he was also active as a historian of western Massachusetts. He wrote books on Williamstown and Williams College, and he remained closely identified with the college for the rest of his life. He died in 1905.