"The Ancient Economy holds pride of place among the handful of genuinely influential works of ancient history. This is Finley at the height of his remarkable powers and in his finest role as historical iconoclast and intellectual provocateur. It should be required reading for every student of pre-modern modes of production, exchange, and consumption."--Josiah Ober, author of Political Dissent in Democratic Athens

In this concise yet comprehensive history, Heinz D. Kurz traces the long arc of economic thought from its emergence in ancient Greece to its systematic presentation among the classical thinkers of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries to the influential work of scholars such as Paul Samuelson and Kenneth J. Arrow. With a keen eye for how economic insights are acquired, lost, and reborn, Kurz focuses on the dynamic individuals who give old ideas new life and the historical events that provoke different approaches and theories. Over the course of this journey, Kurz explains what Adam Smith meant by the "invisible hand"; how Karl Marx's "law of motion" works in capitalist economies; the roots of the Austrian economists' emphasis on the problems of information, incomplete knowledge, and uncertainty; John Maynard Keynes's principle of effective demand and economic stabilization; and the insights and challenges offered by growth theory, welfare economics, game theory, and more. He concludes with a deft summation of world economists' major concerns today and their critical relation to world events.

Economic thinking has a long history dating back to pre-Christian era. References to economic ideas and practices are found in Vedas, Bible and Koran in the form of commandments and instructions. Economics for long was regarded as the art of house keeping/management. In fact, Economy was the title of a book by an ancient Greek historian and philosopher Xenophon (434-355 B.C.). Aristotle was another ancient Greek thinker (384-322 B.C) who authored many works on philosophy, natural sciences and socio-economic problems. Another well-known Greek who reflected on economic matters was Plato, the author of the famous work, The Republic. The exploitation of the proletariat (workers) under capitalism led to the writings of Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German philosopher with revolutionary zeal. He published two epoch-making works in collaboration with his friend and benefactor Friedrich Engels (1820-1895): The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Capital (1867). These two works immensely influenced the thinking of the contemporary world. From the chaos of the depression of the early 1930s grew the ideas of John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) which are relevant to this day. This book is an attempt to rekindle interest in the history of economic ideas.

Thanks to its exceptional size and duration, the Roman Empire offers one of the best opportunities to study economic development in the context of an agrarian world empire. This volume, which is organised thematically, provides a sophisticated introduction to and assessment of all aspects of its economic life.

Assembling contributions from top thinkers in the field, thiscompanion offers a comprehensive and sophisticated exploration ofthe history of economic thought. The volume has a threefold focus:the history of economic thought, the history of economics as adiscipline, and the historiography of economic thought. Provides sophisticated introductions to a vast array oftopics. Focuses on a unique range of topics, including the history ofeconomic thought, the history of the discipline of economics, andthe historiography of economic thought.

Economic thought in Arthaśāstra by Kauṭalya and Mānavadharmaśāstra by Manu, two ancient Hindu texts and its relevance in the globalized arena.