Who Is?

F.A. Hayek (1899–1992) was the most important representative of the “fourth generation” of the Austrian school of economics and the only one so far to receive the Nobel Prize. His many contributions are highlighted by Peter Klein. Hayek considered himself a socialist until he read Mises's ​Socialism, where Mises argued that prices and private p

Jeffrey Herbener discusses the significant contributions of Frank Fetter (1863–1949) on the implications of the marginalist revolution. Fetter identified with not only the Austrian school but in particular the branch that developed Menger’s causal-realist approach to economics. Fetter’s major achievement was to reform the Classical theory of income distribution

A strong member of the “second generation of the Austrian school of economics,” Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk (1851–1914) and his works are discussed by Peter Klein. Böhm-Bawerk did much to extend and further develop Menger’s theories of value, price, capital, and production. Included in his work of the two volume Capital and Interest is a devastating critique of Marx’s exploit

Jonathan Newman discusses the many contributions of the brilliant popularizer of sound economics, Henry Hazlitt (1894–1993). Best known for his book, Economics in One Lesson, Hazlitt stressed that a comprehensive view of of any event or policy is necessary to avoid missing longer term consequences. Hazlitt was a voice of reason in the mainstream press. He demolished Keynesianism,

In this episode, Guido Hülsmann, author of Mises’s biography The Last Knight of Liberalism, highlights the life and work of Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973), arguably the greatest economist of all time. Very early in his career, Mises was influenced by Carl Menger and Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk to turn away from the Historicist approach and to pursue studies in economic theory. Among

G.P. Manish highlights the life and work of Philip Wicksteed, a theologian and scholar from the late 19th and early 20th century. Though not a fan of the free market, Wicksteed made many contributions to Austrian price theory. Wicksteed recognized that economics is a branch of praxeology, studying human action and choices necessitated by scarcity. Wicksteed placed man—specificall

The life and work of the 19th century economist and statesman, Claude-Frédéric Bastiat (1801–1850), are highlighted by Guido Hülsmann. Beginning his work in economics to fight against tariffs and to argue for free trade, Bastiat published The Law in 1850. His influence spread quickly as it was translated into many languages all over Europe. In it he argued that the w

Richard Cantillon (1680–1734) was perhaps the most important and influential economist of all time, though as Mark Thornton explains, few people have ever heard of him. Murray Rothbard called him the founding father of modern economics. Cantillon was the world’s first economic theorist, and in his treatise we find much of what we call economics today. He developed a scientific

Lucas Engelhardt explains the many contributions of an early precursor to not only the Austrian school but to the whole of economic thought, Juan de Mariana of the 16th century Spanish scholastics. Mariana’s book On the King and the Royal Institution stressed the importance of remembering that kings are under a greater natural moral law and ought to be punished when they violate

Per Bylund explains the many contributions of Jean-Baptiste Say (1767–1832), a precursor to the Austrian School of economics. Today, Say is most well known for his “law of markets” which is now referred to simply as “Say’s Law.” Often misstated as “supply creates its own demand,” the law is that we produce and supply to the market in order that we may demand other g