New working paper
Mark Thornton
mthornton@prodigy.net
Fri, 16 Feb 2001 12:57:58 -0600
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I am new to the list and wanted to alert members of a new working paper =
of mine titled "Fr=E9d=E9ric Bastiat as an Austrian economist" which is =
available from the link below (with some introductory remarks that =
follow the link). Comments are welcomed.
Mark Thornton thornton_mark@colstate.edu
Associate Professor of Economics
Abbott Turner College of Business
Columbus State University
http://www.mises.org/journals/scholar/BastiatAustrian.pdf
Bastiat was one of the most influential economists of the 19th century =
and
continues to enjoy widespread popularity more than one hundred years =
after
his premature death. He is celebrated as a popular economic =
journalist,
an effective propagandist, and a successful advocate of free trade.
Despite the fact that Bastiat's name continues to be raised in support =
of
free trade or economic justice by economists of various schools of =
economic
thought, the economics profession does not take his writings seriously.
For example, his written contributions are rarely mentioned or =
referenced
in scholarly journals. Guide H=FClsmann explains that Bastiat's:
"journalistic and polemic style of many of his great works was taken as =
a
proof of lacking sophistication. The very clarity of his style and his
masterful ability to communicate essential ideas on different levels of
exposition (scientific, journalistic, and propagandistic) and with =
various
literary means (sober deductive reasoning, aphorisms, irony, striking
illustrations) were thus turned against him."
Indeed Bastiat is generally not even considered an economist and is
certainly not considered an economic theorist. Joseph Schumpeter, the
eminent historian of economic thought called Bastiat "the most brilliant
economic journalist who ever lived" but concludes, "he was not a =
theorist."
Another renowned Austrian economist, F.A. Hayek failed to defend Bastiat
against this charge in his introduction to Bastiat's collected works. =
Even
his intellectual biographer claimed that with respect to economics, =
Bastiat
"made no original or significant additions to the science."
The task therefore of depicting Bastiat as an Austrian economist would =
seem
daunting for his status as an economic theorist is denied by some =
Austrian
economists and even his stature as an economist is neglected in favor of
his strengths as a polemist and propagandist, roles that are themselves
eschewed in the Austrian school's notion of economics as a value-free
science. Furthermore, Bastiat lived, wrote and died before the =
publication
in 1871 of Carl Menger's Principles of Economics and the official =
founding
of the Austrian school.
The case for Bastiat as an Austrian economist rests squarely on his
writings. First, he is writing as an economist, except in an interesting
tone and with a style and clarity to which the modern profession of
economists is generally unaccustomed. His ability to weave the =
conceptual
with wit has long been appreciated by his readers, but his detractors =
view
this effective style as unprofessional and unscientific. These critics
should remember that other great thinkers such as Galileo used this type =
of
style. Second, Bastiat's work on economic theory and method clearly =
places
him in the Austrian school or at least as a crucial precursor of that
tradition.
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>I am new to the list and wanted =
to alert=20
members of a new working paper of mine titled "</FONT><FONT =
face=3D"Courier New"=20
size=3D2>Fr=E9d=E9ric Bastiat as an Austrian economist" which is =
available from the=20
link below (with some introductory remarks that follow the link). =
Comments are=20
welcomed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Mark Thornton <A=20
href=3D"mailto:thornton_mark@colstate.edu">thornton_mark@colstate.edu</A>=
<BR>Associate=20
Professor of Economics<BR>Abbott Turner College of Business<BR>Columbus =
State=20
University<BR><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.mises.org/journals/scholar/BastiatAustrian.pdf">http:/=
/www.mises.org/journals/scholar/BastiatAustrian.pdf</A><BR><BR>Bastiat=20
was one of the most influential economists of the 19th century =
and<BR>continues=20
to enjoy widespread popularity more than one hundred years after<BR>his=20
premature death. He is celebrated as a popular economic=20
journalist,<BR>an effective propagandist, and a successful advocate of =
free=20
trade.<BR><BR>Despite the fact that Bastiat's name continues to be =
raised in=20
support of<BR>free trade or economic justice by economists of various =
schools of=20
economic<BR>thought, the economics profession does not take his writings =
seriously.<BR>For example, his written contributions are rarely =
mentioned or=20
referenced<BR>in scholarly journals. Guide H=FClsmann =
explains that=20
Bastiat's:<BR>"journalistic and polemic style of many of his great works =
was=20
taken as a<BR>proof of lacking sophistication. The very clarity of his =
style and=20
his<BR>masterful ability to communicate essential ideas on different =
levels=20
of<BR>exposition (scientific, journalistic, and propagandistic) and with =
various<BR>literary means (sober deductive reasoning, aphorisms, irony,=20
striking<BR>illustrations) were thus turned against him."<BR><BR>Indeed =
Bastiat=20
is generally not even considered an economist and is<BR>certainly not =
considered=20
an economic theorist. Joseph Schumpeter, the<BR>eminent historian of =
economic=20
thought called Bastiat "the most brilliant<BR>economic journalist who =
ever=20
lived" but concludes, "he was not a theorist."<BR>Another renowned =
Austrian=20
economist, F.A. Hayek failed to defend Bastiat<BR>against this charge in =
his=20
introduction to Bastiat's collected works. Even<BR>his =
intellectual=20
biographer claimed that with respect to economics, Bastiat<BR>"made no =
original=20
or significant additions to the science."<BR><BR>The task therefore of =
depicting=20
Bastiat as an Austrian economist would seem<BR>daunting for his status =
as an=20
economic theorist is denied by some Austrian<BR>economists and even his =
stature=20
as an economist is neglected in favor of<BR>his strengths as a polemist =
and=20
propagandist, roles that are themselves<BR>eschewed in the Austrian =
school's=20
notion of economics as a value-free<BR>science. Furthermore, Bastiat =
lived,=20
wrote and died before the publication<BR>in 1871 of Carl Menger's =
Principles of=20
Economics and the official founding<BR>of the Austrian =
school.<BR><BR>The case=20
for Bastiat as an Austrian economist rests squarely on his<BR>writings. =
First,=20
he is writing as an economist, except in an interesting<BR>tone and with =
a style=20
and clarity to which the modern profession of<BR>economists is generally =
unaccustomed. His ability to weave the conceptual<BR>with wit has =
long=20
been appreciated by his readers, but his detractors view<BR>this =
effective style=20
as unprofessional and unscientific. These critics<BR>should =
remember that=20
other great thinkers such as Galileo used this type of<BR>style. Second, =
Bastiat's work on economic theory and method clearly places<BR>him in =
the=20
Austrian school or at least as a crucial precursor of=20
that<BR>tradition.<BR><BR><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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