London, J. Wilkie, 1766. 4to. In the original printed wrappers. Lacking backstrip and with a small stain to back wrapper, otherwise a very fine and clean copy. 119 pp.
First edition of Thomas Whately's ""important and extremely rare"" (Higgs) work on British trade and finance primarily in the New World. This is the first thorough and first full description and defense of the the first direct tax ever levied by Parliament upon the colonies. The implementation of this tax resulted in the Boston Massacre and the formation of the Boston Tea Party and, eventually, in the expulsion of the British in 1776. By publishing the present defense, Thomas Whately earned himself a prominent place in the events that led to the American Revolution.""Thomas Whately, the most influential British official in colonial policy in his time, published a work on British trade and finances in 1766 [the present work] with this as his opening sentence: ""That the wealth and power of Great-Britain depend upon its trade is a proposition, which it would be equally absurd in these times to dispute or prove"". In the same year, Edmund Burke asserted that ""liberty and commerce"" were ""the true basis of its [Britain's] power."" (Draper, A Struggle for Power: The American Revolution].This policy eventually became fatal: In 1765 the Stamp Act was the first direct tax ever levied by Parliament upon the colonies. All newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets and official documents had to have the stamps. All 13 colonies protested heavily, as popular leaders like Henry in Virginia and Otis in Massachusetts rallied the people in opposition. Thomas Whately (1726-1772), an English politician and writer, was a Member of Parliament, who served as Commissioner on the Board of Trade, as Secretary to the Treasury under Lord Grenville, and as Under- secretary of State under Lord North. ""Important and extremely rare. Reprinted in ""Scarce Tracts"", 1787, and there attributed to T. Whately."" (Higgs)Higgs 3757Goldsmith 10157Sabin 103122 Hollander 1987Kress 2489 (erroneously ascribed to William Knox)
Buenos Aires (Mexico), Fondo de Cultura Economica 1948 863pp., 1ère édition espagnole, soulignements sur pages 11-97, sinon en bon état
Stockholm, (1902). 8vo. Original printed orange wrappers. Wrappers fully intact but loosened from book block. Internally very fresh and clean. Uncut. 30 pp.
First edition, third thousand. Wicksell contributed to a number of different economic disciplines, including his groundbreaking work in monetary theory. ""The standard view of the quantity theory before Wicksell was that increases in the money supply have a direct effect on prices - more money chasing the same amount of goods. Wicksell focused on the indirect effect. In elaborating this effect, Wicksell distinguished between the real rate of return on new capital (Wicksell called this the 'natural rate of interest') and the actual market rate of interest. He argued that if the banks reduced the rate of interest below the real rate of return on capital, the amount of loan capital demanded would increase and the amount of saving supplied would fall. Investment, which equaled saving before the interest rate fell, would exceed saving at the lower rate. The increase in investment would increase overall spending, thus driving up prices. This cumulative process of inflation would stop only when the banks’ reserves had fallen to their legal or desired limit, whichever was higher.In laying out this theory, Wicksell began the conversion of the old quantity theory into a full-blown theory of prices. The Stockholm school, of which Wicksell was the father figure, ran with this insight and developed its own version of macroeconomics. In some ways this version resembled later Keynesian economics. Among the young Swedish economists who learned from Wicksell were Bertil Ohlin, Gunnar Myrdal, and Dag Hammarskjöld, later secretary general of the United Nations."" (Tthe Library of Economics and Liberty).
London & Naw York, Macmillan and Co, 1888. Small 8vo. Orig. olive full cloth. Spine worn, otherwise fine. Hinges a bit weak. XIII, (3), 142, (2, -advertisements) pp. + 10 folded plates.
The rare first edition of this important work on mathematical economics, one of Wicksteed's main works, in which he sets out to solve ""some of the most crucial problems of Political Economy on which the foremost Economists have disputed unavailingly for generations for lack of applying the mathematical method. A glance at the ""Index of Illustrations"" will show that my object is to bring Economics down from the clouds and make the study throw light on our daily doings and experiences, as well as on the great commercial and industrial machinery of the world."" (Preface, p. X).Philip Henry Wicksteed (1844-1927) was en English theologian, classicist and medievalist now primarily famous for his contributions to economics. He studied classics at University College in London and Manchester New College and later on became interested in Economics, primarily in an attempt to resolve social problems with the aid of economic theories. He was one of the fist disciples of Jevons and continued his ideas of marginal utility theory. Though not highly influential in his own time, Wicksteed came to influence many great economists of the later generation, e.g. Ludwig von Mises and the ""Austrians"" of that generation. ""I wish that space permitted me to do justice to the personality of Philip Henry Wicksteed (1844-1927) as it radiated upon me, in 1906, during and hour's chat on the lawn in front of his house at Wantage - his repose that owed nothing to callousness, his benevolence that was not weakness, his simplicity that went so well with his refinement, his unassuming modesty that did not lack dignity. As it is, I can merely record that this theologian, who was a lecturer on Dante, stood somewhat outside of the economic profession - one of the reasons why his work, particularly excellent on the pedagogical side, did not leave a more discernible mark."" (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis, p. 831). His books did sell very poorly at the time of their appearance, which is why several of the early ones on economics are now so rare.He did, however, publish significant economic works, which, though to a large extent based on Jevons' theories, came to stand out as valuable and interesting in themselves. ""The general complexion of his system is Jevonian -he was in fact the only Jevonian theorist of note- but he shook off so many old things that still stuck to Jevons' exposition and added so many corrections and developments -partly under Austrian influence- that he may be said to have worked out something that, though of course a revision of the marginal utility system, was his own."" (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis, p. 832).It was due to his concern for ethics and the ideologies behind the modern commercial society that this excellent theologian turned to economics and tried to make comprehendible the inequalities of wealth and income. He became a lecturer on economics at the University of London in a program intended to teach adults who had not been able to go to university.In this fairly small but important work, Wicksteed aims ""at giving what theologians might call a ""saving"" knowledge of the fundamental proposition of the Theory of Value"" for this, but no more than this, is necessary as the first step towards mastering the ""alphabet of Economic Science"". (Chapter I, p. (1)).
Kopenhagen, Chr.Gottlob Prosts Forlag, 1789. No wrappers. 78,(1) pp.
Originaltrykket af et væsentligt og tidligt dansk nationaløkonomisk værk hvori han også behandler den tabsgivende kompagnihandel.Bibl. Danica II: 854.
Wien, Alfred Hölder, 1889. 8vo. Uncut in the original printed yellow wrappers. Light soiling and a few minor nicks to extremities. A very fine and clean copy. XVI, 239 pp.
First edition, rarely seen in the original wrappers, of this important work in which Wieser attempts to apply marginal utility analysis to the determination of cost, thus for the first time fully developing a theory of value. The work ""ranks high as an original achievement"" and is one of the very earliest to realize the information value of prizes. It is furthermore here that the term ""imputation"" is coined.""It was only with Friedrich von Wieser's book [the present] that an attempt was made to fill the lacuna left by Menger and Böhm-Bawerk. Wieser makes it clear that without a solution to the problem of 'imputation' the new theory would remain incomplete and would be subjected to the widespread criticism that it cannot deal with production. The problem is posed as follows"" 'The statement that the productive goods receive their value from the value of their produce suffices only to evaluate [schätzen] the collaborating factors of production as a whole, but not separately. In order to be able to do also this, a rule is needed which allows one to apportion the total produce in detail.'(Wieser, 1889)."" (Steedman, Socialism & Marginalism in Economics 1870 - 1930). ""[H]e continued to work on the same problems and also on what he regarded merely as a first step toward a theory of value that was to be fully developed in [the present work]. He employed the expository device of studying value in a centrally directed economy and suggested possible applications of utility theory to public finance. The book gained him almost immediate acclaim, and it was soon translated into English"" (Frederich von Hayek in IESS).""[In the present work he] worked out the Austrian theories of cost and distribution (he coined the phrase 'Zurechnung', imputation), which Menger had not more than sketched, and this work must in spite of the latter fact and also in spite of glaring faults of technique, rank high as an original achievement. (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis)""In this work he applied the marginal utility theory not only horizontally, i.e. to trading and exchange, but also vertically, i.e. to production processes. He defined the value of higher goods produced alongside them, thus developing his imputation theory. Wieser, who possessed a certain ""obsession with compulsive computability"" is recognized as one of the first economist to realize the information value of prices."" (Schulak, the Austrian School of Economics). Masui p. 909Menger col. 395.
Routledge 1988 270 pages 16x2 6x23 6cm. 1988. Cartonné jaquette. 270 pages.
Très Bon Etat de conservation avec sa jaquette intérieur propre bonne tenue
AEI Press 1982 523 pages in8. 1982. Broché. 523 pages.
Bon Etat couverture un peu défraîchie intérieur propre bonne tenue
Worcester MA, The Heffernan Press, 1976. Royal8vo. In the original blue printed wrappers. In ""The Bell Journal of Economics"": Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 1976. Entire volume offered. Very light wear to extremities otherwise a very fine and crisp copy (not ex-library). Pp. 73-104. [Entire volume: 353 pp.].
First printing of Williamson's seminal paper - one of the most influential in economics of regulation - in which he argued that in the presence of uncertainty about future demand or costconditions, the transactions costs of writing a complete contract, contingent on all future outcomes is prohibitively costly. The paper initiated together with Goldberg's paper published the same year the new field of ""transactions-cost economics"".The paper was a contributing factor in Williamson being awarded the Nobel prize in Economics in 2009 for his "" work in economic governance.""In the paper he states that: ""A once-for-all auction for the provision of a natural monopoly service is, in practice, totally impractical. On the other hand, periodic re-tendering introduces its own problems. Most public utility industries require substantial sunk, long-lived investment - whether in distribution wires, rail lines, or telecommunications conduits. Where the life of this investment exceeds the life of the franchise, contractual arrangements must ensure continued investment and maintenance of the sunk asset. It may be difficult to verify the quality of the maintenance of the asset ex post. This is particularly the case where the quality dimension includes maintaining the human capital of the staff required to ensure the continued operation of the asset. In addition, the incumbent provider of the service is likely to have better quality information about the likely cost and demand characteristicsof the service, providing an informational advantage over potential rival bidders.To illustrate these ideas, Williamson used a case study based on the experience of tendering cable television franchises in Oakland, California. He concludes: That franchise bidding for cable television has superior properties to regulation is not transparent - Not only is simple franchise bidding - beset with numerous transactional difficulties, but the institutional infrastructure that predictably develops to check dysfunctional or monopoloid outcomes has many of the earmarks of regulation. Using modern language, Williamson highlights and emphasises the importance of transactions costs. Williamson introduced for the first time the notion that natural monopoly regulation can be viewed as a form of long-term contracting. That long-term contract incorporates mechanisms to allow for adjustment to changes in the environment: At the risk of over-simplification, regulation may be described contractually as a highlyincomplete form of long-term contracting in which (1) the regulatee is assured an overall fair rate of return, in exchange for which (2) adaptations to changing circumstances are successively introduced without the costly haggling that attends such changes when parties to the contract enjoy greater autonomy'.""
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd 1996 498 pages in8. 1996. Broché. 498 pages.
Bon état dos un peu creusé et ridé intérieur propre
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd 1995 1392 pages in8. 1995. Cartonné. 1392 pages.
Très bon état intérieurs propres bonne tenue
ICS Press 1990 350 pages 14 86x1 85x21 41cm. 1990. Broché. 350 pages.
Bon Etat de conservation intérieur propre bonne tenue
Paris, Guillaumin et Cie., 1854. (8), 321, (1) pp. 8vo. Sewn, uncut. Einaudi 5939. First edition. The question of the nature and evolution of ground rent remained topical among French speaking economists during the 19th century. The present work is in favour of Ricardo's theory and opinion concerning the question of "rent." - The pages 209-213 contain mathematical formula. The author's name is also written as: Volkov.
Phone number : 31 20 698 13 75
Paris, Librairie de Guillaumin, 1867. 8vo. Bound in contemporary half calf with gilt lettering to spine. Hinges with little wear. Small library label pasted on to lower part of spine. A few library stamps pasted on to the first few pages. Otherwise a fine copy. XI, (1), 560 pp.
First edition. Louis Wolowski played an important part in the foundation of the Crédit Foncier, whose principal object was the withdrawal of rural property from the expenses of loans and hypothecary subrogation. A bimetallist in monetary matters and a free trader in commercial matters, he did not carry economic liberalism so far as to oppose all State intervention in the matter of labour on the contrary, he had a very important share in the law of 19 May, 1871, which limited the labour of children and women in manufacturing, and which created division inspectors for the supervision of labour.
Venetiis, Apud Turrinum, 1664. Title-page of the first work printed in red and black, both title-pages with a large woodcut vignette. Two works in one volume. (100), 404 (misnumbered 406) pp.; (76), 180 pp. Folio. Later half calf, spine with raised bands, label with gilt lettering, marbled boards, three vellum corners (vellum on one corner gone). Vinciana 1161 for the 1679 edition which was the first collected edition of these two works, these two separate original editions lack; Einaudi 6102 also the 1679 edition; Kress S.1150, first work only, second work not in Kress; Goldsmiths 1425, first work only, the second not in Goldsmiths; both not in Camus. Scarce first edition of both works. Lanfranco Zacchia was an Emilian jurist and the author of a Latin treatise (the present one) on wages which deserves mention for the rarity of the consideration of that subject in the days when he wrote. Zacchia distinguishes different forms of wages which he regards as the reward for any description of work. Wages are fixed by the monarch or the law, by custom or contract, and failing these, by a judge, who in fixing them should take account of the ability of the workman, the quality of his work, and the price of food. He also studies the judicial effects on wages of alterations in the value of money. The work deals with the subject in 110 questions or problems, both practical and theoretical, and treating numerous professions and sorts of work. Zacchia also deals, in various places, with the problem of usury.In the second work Zacchia has collected the rulings by the Sacra Rota concerning the same subject and also presents literature on wage related court cases. After the title-page there is the "Index Decisionum S. Rotae Romanae Tractatui de Salario seu Operariorum Mercede Annexarum" followed by the "Index Argumentorum Harum decisionum" and followed by the third index, the "Index Locupletissimus Harum decisionum, Alphabetica serie digestus.""Thanks to the many cases discussed, "De Salario" represents a very rich source for understanding early modern labour relations and it allows us to reconstruct the doctrine of salary during the two centuries after the Counter-Reformation" (Andrea Caracausi in: IRSH 56 (2011): The just wage in early modern Italy. A Reflection on Zacchia's "De Salario.")Both works printed in two columns per page.The woodcut on the first title-page shows the Madonna with Jesus while two angels place a crown on the Madonna's head. - Somewhat browned, somewhat heavier in places.
Phone number : 31 20 698 13 75
Oxford University Press 1993 392 pages in8. 1993. Cartonné jaquette. 392 pages.
Très Bon Etat de conservation intérieur propre bonne tenue avec sa jaquette
Zu Hamburg zu finden bei dem Herausgeber, (Privately Printed in Hamburg), 1792. With engraved frontispiece and 1 large folding engraved plate and 6 engraved plates by D. Chodowiecki, and 4 folding tables of music (8 pages) by W.A. Mozart. (10), 633 pp. 8vo. Contemporary marbled boards, lighty rubbed, preserved in a fine morocco and gilt backed folding case. Rümann 1299; Schröder 4549; Music in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 896; Koechel 619; Lanckoronska, Maria und Oehler, Richard, Die Buchillustration des XVIII. Jahrhunderts in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz, ii, 119-120 & 214; and see the study by Barbara Richter, Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen, Leben, Werk und Wirken eines engagierten Kaufmanns und Philanthropen im zeitalter der Aufklärung (2003). First edition of this beautifully illustrated and major work of utopian socialism by the industrialist Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen (1753-1806), a utopian freemason, who also provided a libretto for a music commission for Mozart bound in at the end (see note below). This is also the first printing of this Mozart cantata ! Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen was a German merchant and social reformer. He was brought up in the spirit of Pietism but abandoned his protestant faith later in his life and turned into a radical critic of religion. He was succesful as a merchant but never gave up his literary and reforming persuits. He put his entire fortune at the disposal for the spread of his works and ideas and the financial support of the various projects aiming at the practical realization of his ideas. Ziegenhagen died poor and alone in 1806.In Lehre vom richtigen Verhältnis zu den Schöpfungswerken und die durch öffentliche Einfürung desselben allein zu bewürkende algemeine Menschenbeglükkung, Ziegenhagen justifies and describes his utopian project: an attempt at establishing an independent, self-sufficient separate colony based on agricultural as well as innovative educational principles. His ideal was to create a "Erziehungs-kommune" (Educational commune) where children would be brought up without distinction based on titles, financial background or status of whatever nature and where education would not just be theoretical but also practical. The institute was intended to be later transferred into a community with collective property and based on the ideas of Rousseau with a balance between man and nature.Ziegenhagen founded an agricultural property in Billwerder, by Hamburg, and appealed in vain to wealthy citizens, the aristocracy and even the French Convention to support similiar institutions. The project failed and after 12 years he sold the Billwerder property and returned to his Elsass homeland in 1802 where he committed suicide four years later. Chodowiecki's marvelous large folding engraved plate depicts the realization of the author's ideals and having him riding on horseback through the gardens and buildings with various related events happening. Daniel Nicolaus Chodowiecki, the eminent German painter and engraver was one of the best and most sought after illustrators of his time and the beautiful and lively engravings of this book by Chodowiecki add further to the book's importance. The folding engraved frontispiece depicts a large lecture room with natural history illustrations on the walls and a very ornate organ on the far wall. The breathtaking view of the author riding through the colony has already been mentioned. The other engravings depict various classrooms with students studying electrical experiments, using various types of other scientific instruments for experiments as well as learning crafts and skills with a view of a blacksmiths shop. The last plate shows a group of students dissecting a pig with a "Kunst-Kammer" in the background.Perhaps most delightful about this book is the first appearance of a "little German cantata" ("Die ihr des unermeßlichen Weltalls ....") which was composed by Mozart in 1791, the same year as his "Magic Flute" which was also greatly influenced by Masonic imagery. The cantata was intended as an inaugural work for the projected community and was scored for voice and keyboard. Ziegenhagen provided the libretto and commissioned Mozart for the music. The work reflects the authors philosophy and speaks of pacifism and universal brotherhood, with an oblique reference to naturism ! All of this reflects the liberal philosophy of the time, with which Mozart would have come into contact as a member of the Viennese Masonic Lodge. The work here was composed for soprano and piano and later composers would add orchestral arrangements as well as string quartets. Ziegenhagen's connection with Mozart has not been satisfactorily established to date. The autograph of K.619 is at the library of the University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Phone number : 31 20 698 13 75
Kiøbenhavn, Lauritz Christian Simmelkiær, 1787. Uden omslag. 44 pp.
Originaltrykket. Zoëga var en af hovedmændene bag planerne om at skabe et pengevæsen i Hertugdømmerne med sedler, der var indløselige med sølv. - Bibl. Danica II:854.