The Classical Tradition in Economic Thought demonstrates that classicism, in all its many faces, is not only alive but generating an ongoing flow of interpretative literature which will be of interest to students and scholars concerned with economic theory and the history of economic thought as well as the heterodox schools in modern economics.

Economic theory reached its zenith of analytical power and depth of understanding in the middle of the nineteenth century among John Stuart Mill and his contemporaries. This book explains what took place in the ensuing Marginal Revolution and Keynesian Revolution that left economists less able to understand how economies operate. It explores the false mythology that has obscured the arguments of classical economists, providing a pathway into the theory they developed.

The essays in this collection argue that the 'classical' approach to economic problems holds the key to an explanation of important present day economic phenomena.

'The diligent seeker of truth about our current discontents should turn to. . . The Rediscovery of Classical Economics, by David Simpson. . . Its ostensible object is to resurrect what he calls the "classical tradition" emanating from Adam Smith and distinguish it not only from Keynesian economics but also from today's mainstream known to aficionados as the "neoclassical" orthodoxy. Without going into academic details, this orthodoxy stands accused of replacing a theory of relative prices (how many loaves will buy a pullover) with a more sophisticated account of economic growth, and of foisting on us a theory of "rational expectations" that are anything but rational.' Samuel Brittan, Financial Times 'This book puts human beings back at the heart of the economic process. It shows how this classical, human-centred tradition, stretching from Adam Smith onward, gives us a much better understanding of economic events and what to do about them than the mechanistic, mathematical models of too many economists and planners today.' Eamonn Butler, The Adam Smith Institute, UK 'David Simpson writes about key economic issues with admirable lucidity. He draws deeply on experience as well as on his knowledge of economic theory.' Asa Briggs David Simpson skilfully argues that a market economy can be best understood as a human complex system, a perspective that represents a continuation of the classical tradition in economic thought. In the classical tradition, growth rather than allocative efficiency is the principal object of enquiry, economic phenomena are recognised to be elements of processes rather than structures, and change is evolutionary. The book shows the common principles that connect the early classical school, the Austrian school and complexity theory in a single line of thought. It goes on to show how these principles can be applied to explain the characteristic features of a market economy namely incessant change, growth, the business cycle and the market process itself and argues that static equilibrium theory, whether neoclassical or neo-Keynesian, cannot satisfactorily account for these phenomena. This fascinating book will provide a stimulating read for academics, postgraduate students and all those with an interest in economic theory and economic policy.

Nassau Senior is one of the most significant economists in the classical tradition. This study is based both on his unpublished and published lectures and writings.

This exploration of some of the more important frameworks used for understanding the relationship between politics and economics includes the classical, Marxian, Keynesian, neoclassical, state-centered, power-centered, and justice-centered.

“This volume revisits the foundations of classical political economy and outlines on that basis a new research paradigm. Ajit Sinha presents an extremely ambitious and challenging work that opens new and invaluable vistas on classical economic theory and economics at large.” Roberto Scazzieri, Professor of Economic Analysis, University of Bologna and National Lincei Academy, Italy. “For a quarter of a century Ajit Sinha has worked on the classical theory of value, reinterpreting Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Karl Marx in terms of his own original, and often contested, interpretation of Piero Sraffa. This fascinating volume brings together several of Sinha's most perceptive and most contentious papers. Always scholarly, stimulating and provocative, it is essential reading for anyone with an interest in classical value theory.” John King, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Australia. This collection of essays invites the reader to trace the intellectual journey of the author from his early incisive exploration and critique of key categories in Marxian economics, through his insights into classical economic theory, culminating in his pioneering and definitive reading of the economics of Sraffa. Where the author’s position has significantly changed he provides notations and explanations, and the addition of two new chapters written especially for this volume complete the scholarly journey. Following three decades worth of study, this book brings together a set of important contributions that not only give historical perspective but makes them convenient and accessible for students and researchers today.