Alferd Marshall. Mikhail Tugan-Baranovsky. Gustav von Schmoller. Comparing the tables of contents. Comparing methodological approach. The subject of economic science. Induction vs deduction. Principle of continuity. Employment of mathematical models.
Introduction All the nations are unique and differ in many ways. Undoubtedly, these differences are reflected also in economic theories, developed in different independent countries. Various underlying reasons can be found, and this is a complicated issue, requiring a comprehensive analysis. In the present study one can find an attempt to go deeper into the problem and find the differences and similarities in the economic theories themselves in the form they were developed in the past. It is likely that economic theories, then implemented in practice of governing, influenced evolution paths of the countries where these theories were born. Thus, the goal of the present work is to describe features of particular national styles of economic thought using the tools of comparative analysis. The countries considered further are Russia, England and Germany. The period under review is the end of XIX, the beginning of XX century. In this period it was already possible to find in all the countries a representative figure of an economist and serious economic works, containing logically verified methodology. In order to find a work, that would reflect national style of a particular country it seems rational to look for textbooks. Textbooks, approved by the time, which experienced many editions and were used by the majority of universities and educational institutes of a country, are perfect examples not only of special approaches of different authors, but also national features. As a result the following works were chosen: “Foundations of Political Economy” by Mikhail Tugan-Baranovsky, “Principles of economics” by Alfred Marshall and “Layout of General Economics” by Gustav von Schmoller. Already the titles of the works give the reader an idea of general treatises, explaining economy’s organization from the beginning to the end. The first textbook “Foundations of political economy” analyzed in the present study was first published in 1909 and experienced another four lifetime editions (the last, 5th was published in 1918 and was reprinted several times, until 1998). The book was widely used in Russian universities, won the first prize at the competition of textbooks held by the Imperial Academy of Sciences (see Bogomazov, 2006, p. 97-8), and received a number of positive reviews not only from Russian scholars but from abroad. A.Nove wrote: “Tugan’s Fundamentals provided, it seems to me, a very rich and varied intellectual diet for students. Its excellent Russian style makes it a pleasure to read” (Nove, 1970, p. 124). F.Allisson pointed out that textbook was intended “for both pedagogical and scientific purposes and constituted the best place to find gathered together many areas of Tugan-Baranovsky’s research” (Allisson, 2015, p. 112). This important notion makes reasonable the choice of this particular textbook for the present study, as it represents a massive collection of all the ideas concerning economic science and its teaching. Further in the present research the very first, 1909, edition will be analyzed. First, it seems interesting to deal with the initial version of such a fundamental treatise; second, this edition was close to that one of 1915 which won the honorable prize. Tugan-Baranovsky made significant adjustments in 1917, however, amendments relate mainly to the theory of money, which will not be investigated in detail in the present study. “Principles of Economics” is a leading political economy or economics textbook of Alfred Marshall, first published in 1890. It ran into eight editions and was the standard text for generations of economics students. An important thing to mention here is that the text of Marshall’s work varied from edition to edition. In the following analysis will be considered the last, eighth edition, published initially in 1920. Adolf Wagner in his 1981 review noted that “Principles” established in “just and admirable fashion the continuity between classical English political economy and the science as it must stand to satisfy the demands of the present”. He also pointed out an important feature of the textbook, namely that it marked no revolution, but a progress, and this evolutionary style makes “Principles” similar to Tugan-Baranovsky’s “Foundations”. J.M.Keynes was impressed by the great work his teacher did. Reviewing “Principles”, he wrote: “The book reached the general public. It increased the public esteem of Economics. The minimum of controversy was provoked” (Keynes, 1924, p. 355). One will find the references to the last, 8th, lifetime edition of Marshall’s textbook in the following analysis. “Principles” were significantly changed by the author with every new edition; therefore it is reasonable to examine the “final” version. “Grundriss des allgemeinen Volkswirtschaftslehre”, in English “Layout of General Economics” contains two volumes, the first was published in 1900, and the second - in 1904. The textbook is truly massive. F.W.Taussig conceded that “no one can open t
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