The Economic Works of Philip Wicksteed

To the general public, it is probable that Wicksteed is known chiefly for his work as a classical and mediaeval scholar. For various reasons, some of which it will be our business to analyse later on, his work as an economist, although often expressly addressed to the generality of educated readers, has not received such extensive recognition. In this he has been unfortunate. Among professional economists his reputation has always been high: and as years go on it is likely to increase rather than to diminish. Nor is this reputation confined to this country. From the outset of his career as an economist, he received international recognition; and it would be difficult to find a really important work on pure economics written during the last twenty years which did not contain some reference to his work or some trace of his influence. His various books, never issued in large editions, have become extremely rare, and are greatly sought after, not only by the regular collectors of the literature of Economic Theory, but by the workday economist, endeavouring to provide himself with the indispensable instruments of his craft. An English economist, anxious to ingratiate himself with some American or continental colleague, could find no more certain claim to instant friendship than the gift of one of these much-prized volumes.