A History of Economic Thought

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding summary of economic thought!
Review: A well-organized and well-considered series of concise lectures are codified in this book. This is a substantial, but not overwhelming, chronology of the more influential contributors to economic history and thought.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding summary of economic thought!
Review: A well-organized and well-considered series of concise lectures are codified in this book. This is a substantial, but not overwhelming, chronology of the more influential contributors to economic history and thought.

Rating:
Summary: Magisterial, fair, but not the best way
Review: Make no mistake: Robbins knows his stuff, he's fair, correct, and surprisingly open-minded. However, this is a transcription of lectures, and the syntax is contorted. He interrupts the flow of every other sentence to insert some qualifier or oral footnote, and the effect can be maddening. This is too much to read for the depth of treatment you will actually get. If you do read it, you will get a pretty swell reading list, but the material is definitely weighted in favor of antiquarian literature and ancient disputes. I personally found it a pleasant read, because I like old books and economics, and I felt a certain affection for the grand old man, but unless you share these tastes, you're bound to be frustrated

Rating:
Summary: Lectures
Review: This is a collection of lectures given at the LSE. So DON'T think it is a history. Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive journey from aristotle's economica thru the modern era. Good as a reference. Not bad as a read -- but be aware you are reading a transcribed lecture and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Rating:
Summary: Lectures
Review: This is a collection of lectures given at the LSE. So DON'T think it is a history. Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive journey from aristotle's economica thru the modern era. Good as a reference. Not bad as a read -- but be aware you are reading a transcribed lecture and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Read
Review: This publication of Lord Robbins' masterful lectures on the history of economic thought should be required reading for all graduate students and professors of political economy (in the traditional sense) and economic history/thought. Whether-or-not you agree with his interpretation or selection of examples in a given lecture, his *style* alone is worth the price of the book.

Rating:
Summary: A quick walk through the history of Economics.
Review: This series of lectures sheds light on the major contributors to Economic thought since Plato and Aristotle. Since the book is made up of transcripts of his lectures, he doesn't manage to cover the figures or the ideas in depth. However he does manage to give some guidelines as to what you should read if you want to be well informed on the history of Economic thought.

I did not find the language in it frustrating, it just made the book seem like a personal lecture with Robbins (minus the questions) which added to my enjoyment. He stops at Fisher, so if you were hoping for ideas and icons after that, you will be disappointed.

The book is split into five sections. The first deals with those philosophers that preceded the formal study of economics; Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas etc... Very interesting stuff, especially if you aren't familiar with the relationship between the ancients and economics.

The second to the fourth sections deal with famous economists, from Adam Smith to Karl Marx. His treatment of Marx is brief so don't expect anything more than a few pages. While he goes into some length about Adam Smith and the other classical economists.

Finally he lectures on Jevons, Menger and others of the "Marginal Revolution", ending his series of lectures with Fisher.

A good read, I would recommend it to undergraduates in Economics or any one else who is interested in the history of economic ideas.