The Economic Thought of William Petty


Book Description

William Petty (1623-1687), long recognised as a founding father of English political economy, was actively involved in the military-colonial administration of Ireland following its invasion by Oliver Cromwell, and to the end of his days continued to devise schemes for securing England’s continued domination of that country. It was in that context that he elaborated his economic ideas, which consequently reflect the world of military-bureaucratic officialdom, neo-feudalism and colonialism he served. This book shows that much of the theory and methodology in use within the economics discipline of today has its roots in the writings of Petty and his contemporaries, rather than in the supposedly universalistic and enlightened ideals of Adam Smith a century later. Many of the fundamental ideas of today’s development economics, for example, are shown to have been deployed by Petty explicitly for the purpose of furthering England’s colonialist objectives, while his pioneering writings on fiscal issues and national accounting theory were equally explicitly directed towards the raising of funds for England’s predatory colonial and commercial wars. This book argues that exploring the historical roots of economic ideas and methods in this way is an essential aspect of assessing their appropriateness and analytical power today, and that this is more relevant than ever. It will be of interest to advanced students and researchers in the history of economic thought, early modern economic history, development economics and economic geography.







Essays on Mankind and Political Arithmetic


Book Description

Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.




The Genesis of Macroeconomics


Book Description

This is a book about the discovery of the great macroeconomic concepts and ideas by a group of exciting people between the late 17th and early 19th century. Engaging and vividly written, the book shows readers how economic concepts evolve over time and are influenced by contemporary developments.




A Treatise of Taxes and Contributions


Book Description

Reproduction of the original.




William Petty on the Order of Nature


Book Description

Stung by the allegation that his version of the new philosophy tended towards atheism and materialism, Sir William Petty-medic, mathematician, pioneering political economist, intellectual entrepreneur, and Fellow of the Royal Society-set out to compose a treatise vindicating his philosophical piety. Written between 1676 and 1678, this was entitled Of the Scale of Creatures. By redefining the scala naturae ("scale of creatures" or "chain of being"), Petty sought within it to combine doctrinal orthodoxy, biological comparativism, and a view of the world more familiar from the writings of Thomas Hobbes. Until recently, the Scale was thought only to survive in a partial copy within Petty's own archive. William Petty on the Order of Nature provides a scholarly edition of the fullest version of the text, and in an introductory study assesses the Scale in relation both to Petty's own thought and to the religious, philosophical, political, and literary dynamics of the later seventeenth century. Viewed through these prisms, Petty emerges as a thinker at striking ease in both ancient and modem traditions of learning. Further, early modern attitudes to the interactions between human and animal life are cast into revealing new relief, as are the histories of fields as diverse as theology, colonialism, anthropology (especially in connection with "racism" and the problem of human diversity), scribal culture, and political theory. In addition to those researching the cultural and intellectual contours of seventeenth-century natural philosophy, this book will be of interest to all scholars of early modern intellectual, religious, literary, and cultural history. Book jacket.




A First Course in Atmospheric Radiation


Book Description

This textbook covers the essentials of atmospheric radiation at a level appropriate to advanced undergraduates and first-year graduate students. It was written specifically to be readable and technically accessible to students having no prior background in the subject area and who may or may not intend to continue with more advanced study of radiation or remote sensing. The author emphasizes physical insight, first and foremost, but backed by the essential mathematical relationships. The second edition adds new exercises, improved figures, a table of symbols, and discussions of new topics, such as the Poynting vector and the energy balance within the atmosphere. The book web page includes additional resources for courses taught using this book, including downloadable/printable PDF figures as well as solutions to most problems (for instructors of recognized courses only).




The Power of a Single Number


Book Description

Widely used since the mid-twentieth century, GDP (gross domestic product) has become the world's most powerful statistical indicator of national development and progress. Practically all governments adhere to the idea that GDP growth is a primary economic target, and while criticism of this measure has grown, neither its champions nor its detractors deny its central importance in our political culture. In The Power of a Single Number, Philipp Lepenies recounts the lively history of GDP's political acceptance—and eventual dominance. Locating the origins of GDP measurements in Renaissance England, Lepenies explores the social and political factors that originally hindered its use. It was not until the early 1900s that an ingenuous lone-wolf economist revived and honed GDP's statistical approach. These ideas were then extended by John Maynard Keynes, and a more focused study of national income was born. American economists furthered this work by emphasizing GDP's ties to social well-being, setting the stage for its ascent. GDP finally achieved its singular status during World War II, assuming the importance it retains today. Lepenies's absorbing account helps us understand the personalities and popular events that propelled GDP to supremacy and clarifies current debates over the wisdom of the number's rule.




The Political Anatomy of Ireland


Book Description

The Political Anatomy of Ireland - With the Establishment for that Kingdom when the late Duke of Ormond was the Lord Lieutenant is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1691. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.




Pop Up Body Book


Book Description

An amazing pop-up book all about your body and how it works, with fun and friendly illustrations, and inventive ways to explain the facts. Take a look at everything to do with your body ¿ inside and out! How did you begin? Ever wondered how you breathe, smell or move? Or why you have to eat? And what your insides look like? See how it all works and find out the story of your body, starting right at the very beginning of you¿