Wilhelm Roscher

Born in 1817 in Hanover, he became one of the best-known German economists of the 19th century and spent much of his academic career at the University of Leipzig. He is closely associated with the older German historical school, which pushed back against abstract, one-size-fits-all economic theories and stressed the importance of studying how economic life changes across time and place.

His best-known work, System der Volkswirtschaft, was published in multiple parts over many years and helped establish his reputation as a major teacher of political economy. He also wrote on the history of economics and on broader questions of society and the state, aiming to connect economic ideas with real historical experience.

Roscher died in 1894, but his influence remained strong in German academic life long afterward. For listeners today, he offers a window into a moment when economics was still deeply tied to history, ethics, and the study of civilization.