Henry Charles Carey

Born in Philadelphia on December 15, 1793, he was the son of the Irish-born publisher Mathew Carey. He entered the family publishing business young, became a partner early in adult life, and later left business to concentrate on writing and public debate about economics.

He became one of the best-known American economists of the 1800s. In works such as Principles of Political Economy and The Harmony of Interests, he challenged British free-trade thinking and argued that government support for manufacturing could strengthen wages, agriculture, and national independence.

His ideas helped shape the tradition sometimes called the American School of economics. Though his views were debated then and are still discussed now, he remains an important figure for readers interested in how the United States argued about industry, labor, trade, and growth in the 19th century.