The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers, Seventh Edition

The bestselling classic that examines the history of economic thought from Adam Smith to Karl Marx—“all the economic lore most general readers conceivably could want to know, served up with a flourish” (The New York Times).

The Worldly Philosophers not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas—namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines.

In a bold new concluding chapter entitled “The End of the Worldly Philosophy?” Heilbroner reminds us that the word “end” refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today’s increasingly “scientific” economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.

• New Ideas from Dead Economists: An Introduction to Modern Economic Thought
• Teachings from the Worldly Philosophy
• The Wealth of Nations
• Economics: The User's Guide
• The Clash of Economic Ideas: The Great Policy Debates and Experiments of the Last Hundred Years
• History of Economic Thought, 3rd Edition
• Rousseau's Political Writings: Discourse on Inequality, Discourse on Political Economy, On Social Contract (Norton Critical Editions)
• The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age
• Economic Literacy: Basic Economics with an Attitude, Third Edition: Basic Economics with an Attitude
• Economath Primer: 5th Edition