TY - JOUR
T1 - Alfred Marshall versus the Historical School
AU - Hodgson, G.M.
N1 - Original article can be found at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/--Copyright Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - A false account of Marshall’s engagements with the historical school is found among modern commentators. This false account involves the central proposition that Marshall was an opponent of the historical school. This false account has survived and prospered because it has fitted into more general conceptions of intellectual history, held by both orthodox and heterodox economists. To many orthodox economists, Marshall was a hero who greatly contributed to the development of neoclassical economic theory, and fought valiantly against the ‘atheoretical’ historicists. Likewise, to many heterodox economists, Marshall was a villain who greatly contributed to the development of neoclassical economic theory, and machinated against the ‘more realistic’ historicists. Such statements are difficult to reconcile with the fact that Marshall repeatedly referred positively to the ideas of the German historical school. It is argued in this paper that Marshall’s opposition to the historical school was confined to its anti-theoretical wing, principally William Cunningham. In other important respects Marshall’s position was compatible with German and British historicism.
AB - A false account of Marshall’s engagements with the historical school is found among modern commentators. This false account involves the central proposition that Marshall was an opponent of the historical school. This false account has survived and prospered because it has fitted into more general conceptions of intellectual history, held by both orthodox and heterodox economists. To many orthodox economists, Marshall was a hero who greatly contributed to the development of neoclassical economic theory, and fought valiantly against the ‘atheoretical’ historicists. Likewise, to many heterodox economists, Marshall was a villain who greatly contributed to the development of neoclassical economic theory, and machinated against the ‘more realistic’ historicists. Such statements are difficult to reconcile with the fact that Marshall repeatedly referred positively to the ideas of the German historical school. It is argued in this paper that Marshall’s opposition to the historical school was confined to its anti-theoretical wing, principally William Cunningham. In other important respects Marshall’s position was compatible with German and British historicism.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=25144463078&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/01443580510618563
DO - 10.1108/01443580510618563
M3 - Article
SN - 0144-3585
VL - 32
SP - 331
EP - 348
JO - Journal of Economic Studies
JF - Journal of Economic Studies
IS - 4
ER -