The paper analyzes Eli Heckscher's dual nature: as both an economist and an economic historian. Emphasis is put on his insistence on the use of economic theory in economic historic analysis, as manifested in a large number of publications throughout his life; and Heckscher's practical employment...

Purpose – This paper is devoted to the question of what motivates man in his pursuit of economic activities. Particular attention is given to the notion that economic activities of individuals may not be motivated by their self-interest alone. Design/methodology/approach – Using literary...

Purpose – To analyse some proposals of the Younger German Historical School as to how to reduce unemployment and to examine them with regard to their application to contemporary unemployment. The more general issue of this paper is: Can we learn from the Younger Historical School how to solve...

Purpose – To establish the place of Karl Knies in the history of economics of the German-speaking academics. Design/methodology/approach – Knies's economics teaching is summarized on the basis of a student's notebook of the course on general economics in Heidelberg, 1886. Knies's relation...

Purpose – This paper is an attempt to sketch the influence of the German Historical School on the development of Russian economic thought at the boundary of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and, particularly, on the forming of its socio-ethical trend with an alternative approach in...

The constitutional theory developed by Buchanan and Tullock is extended to show that the greater the degree of consensus required for collective decisions, smaller will be the optimal scope of government activity. Furthermore, a requirement of more consensus in collective decision-making entails...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which Benjamin Franklin's understanding of political economy was shaped by his association with the French school of writers known as physiocrats. Design/methodology/approach – The paper works from direct statements by Franklin...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast three-factor models of boom and bust from Henry George, Knut Wicksell and Mason Gaffney. Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of an analysis and discussion and mathematical appendix. Findings – It was found...

In this paper we provide an overview of the historical development of the insurance market in Sweden from the eighteenth century up to modern times. We consider theoretical perspectives drawn from the economics and political regulation literature that might help to explain important...