The course covers the main evolution of
economic theory over the last three centuries. We are interested in the
ideas put forward and the way in which some of them have developed into
what we know today as economic theory. But looking at the history of
economic theory, both the problems considered and the way in which they
were elaborated, we obtain a new perspective on the contemporary state
of economic theory.
Our curriculum textbooks is:
R.B.Ekelund, R.F.Hébert (EH): A History of Economic Theory & Method, 6th edition, Waveland Press, 2014
There are may other texts which could have been used, and from time to
another we shall borrow some material from other texts or journal
articles. Additional reading will improve understanding of the
matter, and other literature will be indicated as we proceed.
A very useful collection of articles (which I shall use from time to another in the lectures) is:
Samuels,W.J., J.E.Biddle and J.B.Davis (SBD): A Companion
to the History of Economic Thought, Blackwell Publishing, 2003.
An alternative approach to our topics (always useful to see things from another angle) is presented in
Hunt, E.K. and M.Lautzenheiser (HL): History of
Economic Thought: A Critical Perspective, Sharpe, Armont New York, 2011.
For each week there will be a handout which describes what happens in
this week, together with some additional material in the form of
lecture notes.
Plan of lectures
|
Lecture (week) number |
Topics treated | We read: | Supple- mentary reading |
Handouts and additional material |
|
1 (36) |
Introduction: An overview Early contributions |
EH Ch.2 | HL Ch.1 SBD Ch.2-3 |
Handout 1 Lecture note 1 |
| 2 (37) |
British and French mercantilists |
EH Ch.3 |
HL Ch.2 SBD Ch.4 | Handout 2 Lecture note 2 |
|
3 (37) |
Preclassical economists |
EH Ch.4 |
HL Ch.2 | Handout 3 Lecture note 3 |
|
4 (38) |
Adam Smith | EH Ch.5 |
HL Ch.3 | Handout 4 Lecture Note 4 |
|
5 (39) |
Malthus Ricardo |
EH Ch.6 | HL Ch.4-5 | Handout 5 Lecture Note 5 |
|
6 (39) |
Other contemporary economists |
EH Ch.7,11 |
HL Ch.6 |
Handout 6 Lecture Note 6 |
| 7 (40) |
Mill |
EH Ch.8,10 |
HL Ch.7 | Handout 7 Lecture Note 7 |
| 1st voluntary assignment To be delivered before 14.10.2024 at 12.00 |
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|
8 (41) |
Marx |
EH Ch.12 |
HL Ch.9 | Handout 8 Lecture Note 8 |
|
9 (41) |
Precursors of marginalism | EH Ch.13 |
HL Ch.8 | Handout 9 Lecture Note 9 |
| 10 (43) |
Jevons and followers Marshall and neoclassicals |
EH Ch.15,16 |
HL Ch.10 |
Handout 10 Lecture Note 10 |
| 11 (43) |
Walras and followers |
EH Ch.17,18 |
Handout 11 Lecture Note 11 |
|
| No lecture Monday 26.10.2024 |
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|
12 (45) |
Austrians |
EH Ch.14,22 |
|
Handout 12 Lecture Note 12 |
| 13 (45) |
Macroeconomics arising Welfare economics |
EH Ch.19 |
HL Ch.11 |
Handout 13 Lecture Note 13 |
| 2nd voluntary assignment To be delivered before 20.11.2024 at 12.00 |
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|
14 (46) |
Imperfect competition The systems debate Econometrics | EH Ch.20,23,(25) | HL Ch.12-13 |
Handout 14 Lecture Note 14 |
| 15 (47) |
Keynes, Kalecki
|
EH Ch.21 |
HL Ch.15 |
Handout 15
Lecture Note 15 |
| 16 (47) Note:Start at 10.30 |
The Cambridge controversy, Interventionalism, National Accounts |
HL Ch.15 | Handout 16 Lecture Note 16 |
|
| 17 (48) |
Sraffa, Game Theory, Social choice |
EH Ch.25,26 |
Handout 17 Lecture Note 17 |
|
| 18 (49) |
Heterodoxies, monetarism, New Keynesian economics |
EH Ch.22,23 |
HL Ch.17-18 | Handout 18 Lecture Note 18 |
| 19 (49) |
Conclusion and Outlook |
|
Handout 19 |
|
| 20 (50) |
Questions |
|
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|
Ordinary exam: 17.12.2024 Re-exam: 10.2.2025 |
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| Previous exams |
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Latest update 23.11.2024