Rae and the Tradition of Scottish Political Economy

Citation

Dow A, Dow S, Hutton A & Keaney M (1998) Rae and the Tradition of Scottish Political Economy. In: Hamouda O, Lee C & Mair D (eds.) The Economics of John Rae. Routledge Studies in the History of Economics, 20. London: Routledge, pp. 245-260. https://www.routledge.com/The-Economics-of-John-Rae/Hamouda-Lee-Mair/p/book/9780415158671

Abstract
The purpose of the chapter is to investigate how far Rae is representative of the Scottish Political Economy Tradition, where tradition is understood in terms of continuity in a shared approach, allowing for theoretical differences. While Rae conforms to most features identified with the Scottish tradition, his opposition to Smith’s methodology suggests a divergence of approach which would put him outside the tradition. It is argued here that this divergence applies only to Rae’s professed methodology, not to his practice.

People

Professor Sheila Dow

Emeritus Professor, Economics