“Everything about this book breathes affection: Lionel Robbins’s concern for his students down the decades, the editors’ sensitive treatment of their subject, and Professor William Baumol’s modest justification for his foreward: ‘I was there!'”—Arthur Seldon, Times Literary Supplement
“For anyone who has taught a course in the history of economic thought or who has more than a passing interest in the field, this book will be a delight.” ―
Choice
“As the 20th century draws to a close, the history of economic thought is beginning to look different, and the publication of Lionel Robbins’s London School of Economics lectures on the subject will contribute to this process of rethinking. . . . A welcome relief from the ponderousness of many volumes on this subject.” ―
Virginia Quarterly Review
“The book . . . is filled with insights. . . . The editors, in order to retain to the fullest the inimitable flavor of Robbins’ personality, have wisely not tidied up the text. . . . [They] deserve high praise for making these fine lectures available.” ―
Mises Review
“With a profound sense of humor and highly engaging anecdotes, this master teacher provided an unusual opportunity to discover not only the ideas but also the very different frames of reference that inspired the contributions of these great minds to our present understanding of economics. Essential reading.” ―
Library Journal
“These lectures reflect Robbins’ two personae–the scholarly exponent of the centuries of economic thought and the passionate advocate of classical liberalism. A decisive part of his intellectual armoury was his often elegant, classical spoken English, which evoked a mixture of awe and wonder. In his LSE lectures, which he may have felt were his last epistles to posterity, the language is more informal, sometimes, colloquial, even unfamiliarly conversational.”
—Arthur Seldon, Times Literary Supplement
“Robbins obviously loved the history of economic thought, but the passion that shows through on each page of this book is more than a passion for the
history of economics. Robbins loved the discipline of economics itself, and the lectures reflect the gusto with which he had spent his life pursuing its mastery.”—Bradley W. Bateman, EH.NET
“Anyone reading these lectures can, and surely will, admire their style, the range of material they cover, the dazzling intellectual brilliance, and the stimulation they provide.”–From the foreword by William J. Baumol, New York University
From the Back Cover
“Anyone reading these lectures can, and surely will, admire their style, the range of material they cover, the dazzling intellectual brilliance, and the stimulation they provide.”–From the foreword by William J. Baumol, New York University
About the Author
Lionel Robbins taught at the London School of Economics from 1929 to 1961, directed the economic section of the British War Cabinet during World War II, and served as Chairman of the Financial Times from 1961 until 1970. His best known work is An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science. He became a life peer in 1959 and a Companion of Honour in 1968. Steven G. Medema is Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado at Denver. He is the editor of the Journal of the History of Economic Thought, author of Ronald H. Coase, and the coauthor, with Nicholas Mercuro, of Economics and the Law (Princeton). Warren J. Samuels is Professor of Economics at Michigan State University. He is the author of The Classical Theory of Economic Policy and The Economy as a Process of Valuation and coedits Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology with Jeff E. Biddle.
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