Arthur Spiethoff (1873–1957), an economist of the German Historical School of Economics, is best known for his theory of the business cycle. Despite Spiethoff calling for a unified reading of his work, his epistemological thinking has received less attention. This book addresses that gap by analysing Spiethoff’s theory of the business cycle in the light of his epistemological views. Putting Spiethoff’s work in context, the book also investigates the most significant features of the evolution of the “research programme” of the German Historical School of Economics, with particular reference to the relationships between Schmoller, Sombart, Weber and Spiethoff. In addition, Spiethoff’s work is compared with some of the scientific orientations of the current debates: on the epistemological side, the book examines the relationship between Spiethoff’s views and some contemporary thinking on scientific realism, as well as methodological pluralism in social sciences. And, more broadly, it emphasises the analytical relevance of the historical approach in explaining the economic imbalances of contemporary capitalism, questioning the idea, widespread in the neoclassical approach, that taking historical specificities into account makes it hard to achieve a theoretically effective attitude. This book is a significant addition to the literature on the German Historical School of Economics and the history of economic thought, business cycle theory and macroeconomics more broadly.

"Arthur Spiethoff (1873-1957), an economist of the German Historical School of Economics, is best known for his theory of the business cycle. Despite Spiethoff calling for a unified reading of his work, his epistemological thinking has received less attention. This book addresses that gap by analysing Spiethoff's theory of the business cycle in the light of his epistemological views. Putting Spiethoff's work in context, the book also investigates the most significant features of the evolution of the "research programme" of the German Historical School of Economics, with particular reference to the relationships between Schmoller, Sombart, Weber and Spiethoff. In addition, Spiethoff's work is compared with some of the scientific orientations of the current debates: on the epistemological side, the book examines the relationship between Spiethoff's views and some contemporary thinking on scientific realism, as well as methodological pluralism in social sciences. And, more broadly, it emphasises the analytical relevance of the historical approach in explaining the economic imbalances of contemporary capitalism, questioning the idea, widespread in the neoclassical approach, that taking historical specificities into account makes it hard to achieve a theoretically effective attitude. This book is a significant addition to the literature on the German Historical School of Economics and the history of economic thought, business cycle theory and macroeconomics more broadly"--

With the increasing acceptance of evolutionary and institutional thinking among economists, general interest in the German Historical School has risen steadily during the last decade. This book traces the development and transformation of the School, covering its leading figures such as Adam Muller, Wilhelm Roscher, Karl Knies and Lujo Brentano.

The volume at hand gives an exposition of the tradition of the Historical School of Economics and of the Geisteswissenschaften or human sciences, the latter in their development within the Historical School as well as in Neo-Kantianism and the sociology of knowledge. It continues the discussion started in the year 1994 on the Older Historical School of Economics and the 19th century German contribution to an ethical theory of economics with the Newer Historical School of the 20th century. Economists, social scientists, and philosophers examine the contribution of this tradition and its impact for present theory. The schools of thought and their approaches to economics as well as to the cultural and social sciences are examined here not as much for their historical interest as for their poten tial systematic contribution to the contemporary debates on economic ethics, economics, sociology, and philosophy. The volume at hand contains the proceedings of the Fourth Annual SEEP-Conference on Economic Ethics and Philosophy in 1996, "Economics and Ethics in the Historical School. Part B: Max Weber, Heinrich Rickert, Max Scheler, Werner Sombart, Arthur Spiethoff, John Commons, Alfred Marshall, and Others", held at Marienrode Monastery near Hannover, Germa ny, on March 27-30th, 1996, together with several additional invited papers.

This volume is a collection of my essays on Gustav von Schmoller (1838– 1917), Max Weber (1864–1920), and Joseph Alois Schumpeter (1883–1950), published during the past fifteen years. These three intellectual giants are connected with the German Historical School of Economics in different ways. In the history of economics, the German Historical School has been described as a heterodox group of economic researchers who flourished in the Germ- speaking world throughout the nineteenth century. The definition of a “school” is always problematic. Even if the core of a certain idea were identified in the continuous and discontinuous process of the filiation and ramification of thought, it is still possible to trace its predecessors, successors, and sympathizers in different directions, creating an amorphous entity of a school. It is beyond question, however, that Schmoller was the leader of the younger German Historical School, the genuine school with a sociological 1 reality. Schmoller was indeed the towering figure of the Historical School at its zenith.

Not by Theory alone ... The Economics of Gustav von Schmoller and Its Legacy to America.