Table of Contents
Introduction to the Liberty Fund Edition Peter J. Boettke Frédéric Sautet xi
Introduction to the Second Edition Laurence S. Moss xxi
Foreword Ludwig von Mises xxv
Author's Preface xxvii
Acknowledgments xxix
1 On Defining the Economic Point of View 1
The Economic Point of View and the Scope of Economics 3
The Multitude of Economic Points of View 5
The Controversy Over the Utility of Definition 6
An Interpretation of the Controversy 8
The Economists and Their Definitions: The Classical Economists 12
The Economic Point of View: The Background of the Methodenstreit 14
Twentieth-Century Economic Points of View 17
2 The Science of Wealth and Welfare 20
The Emergence of Political Economy as the Science of Wealth 21
The Science of Material Wealth 28
The Science of Subsistence 33
The Science of Wealth Retained 39
Man Against Nature 43
From Wealth to Welfare 46
The Science of the Lower Side of Human Nature 52
3 The Science of Avarice; Getting the Most for the Least 55
The Science of Avarice 55
The Economic Principle 61
The "Economic Impulse" 65
Selfishness and "Non-Tuism" 69
Economics and Mechanics 71
4 Economics, the Market, and Society 76
Economics and Catallactics 76
Exchange and the Propensity to Truck 81
Exchange and the Division of Labor 83
The "Purely Formal" Concept of Exchange 85
Exchange and the Economic System 87
Economics, the Economy, and the Volkswirtschaft 90
Economy and Society 93
5 Economic Affairs, Money, and Measurement 97
Money, Wealth, and Exchanges 97
Money as the Measuring Rod 101
Money as a Universal Measuring Rod 104
Measurement and Economics 104
Money and Price-Economics108
Money as an Economic Institution 111
6 Economics and Economizing 114
The Economics of Professor Robbins 115
Scarcity and Economics 117
Economizing and Maximization 121
The Character of Robbins's Definition 123
A The "Breadth" of Robbins's Definition 125
B The "Formalism" of Robbins's Definition 127
The Nature of Ends and Means 130
"Given" Ends and Means 134
Single End and Multiple Ends 138
Economics and Ethics: The Positive and the Normative 142
The Nature of Economic Science and the Significance of Macroeconomics 147
7 Economics as a Science of Human Action 151
I
The Sciences of Human Action 153
The Emergence of the Praxeological View of Economics 156
Max Weber and Human Action 161
Acting Man and Economizing Man: Mises and Robbins 163
II
Praxeology and Purpose 166
Praxeology and Rationality 170
The Assumption of Constant Wants-The Praxeological Context 176
Praxeology, Apriorism, and Operationalism 181
The Economic Point of View and Praxeology 185
Becker-Kirzner Debate
Irrational Behavior and Economic Theory Gary S. Becker 193
Rational Action and Economic Theory Israel M. Kirzner 211
Rational Action and Economic Theory: A Reply to I. Kirzner Gary S. Becker 221
Rational Action and Economic Theory: Rejoinder Israel M. Kirzner 225
Index 229