Charles Camic - Essential Writings of Thorstein Veblen

Essential Writings of Thorstein Veblen

This volume is the definitive collection of the writings of Thorstein Veblen (18571929). Among the most influential economists and social theorists of the twentieth century, Veblen pioneered the development of evolutionary and institutional economics. As acknowledged by several recent Nobel awards, these subfields are of immense contemporary importance, and Veblens enduring contribution to their development gives his writings enhanced interest today.

The 38 selections in the volume include complete texts of all of Veblens major articles and book reviews from 1882 to 1914, plus key chapters from his books The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899), The Theory of Business Enterprise (1904), and The Instinct of Workmanship (1914). These writings present a wide range of Veblens most significant contributions, especially with respect to the philosophical and psychological foundations of economics, sociology, and other social sciences. The volume showcases Veblens use of evolutionary ideas, particularly from Darwinism, an aspect of his work that retains a high degree of relevance and importance for researchers today, making a major contribution to our understanding of the role and importance of institutions and of technological change.

A thoroughly comprehensive volume, this is the only collection to present Veblens writings in chronological order, so that their development can be correctly understood. The volume is edited by a leading sociologist and a prominent economist, who provide extensive introductory essays that include item-by-item commentaries that place each selection in its intellectual-historical context and in relation to subsequent developments in economics. It makes for a valuable source of reference both for students and researchers alike.

Charles Camic is John Evans Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University. Previously, he was Martindale-Bascom Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Geoffrey M. Hodgson is a Research Professor in Business Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. He is an academician of the Academy of Social Sciences and the author of over 120 academic journal articles and numerous books and is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Institutional Economics.

Essential Writings of Thorstein Veblen

Edited by

Charles Camic and Geoffrey M. Hodgson

LONDON AND NEW YORK

First published 2011
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This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2011.

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2011 selection and editorial matter: Charles Camic and Geoffrey M. Hodgson.

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ISBN 0-203-84757-1 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 978-0-415-77790-2 (hbk)

ISBN 978-0-203-84757-2 (ebk)