Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 1 by Wilhelm Roscher

(6 User reviews)   2922
By Robert Nguyen Posted on Jan 10, 2026
In Category - Geography
Roscher, Wilhelm, 1817-1894 Roscher, Wilhelm, 1817-1894
English
Ever wonder why some nations get rich while others stay poor? In 1843, German economist Wilhelm Roscher tried to answer that exact question in 'Principles of Political Economy.' Forget dry theory—this is a book that sees economics as a living, breathing story of people, laws, and history all tangled together. Roscher doesn't just give you rules; he shows you how England's factories, Rome's fall, and medieval guilds all connect to the money in your pocket today. It's like a detective story for the entire world's wallet.
Share

Read "Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 1 by Wilhelm Roscher" Online

This book is available in the public domain. Start reading the digital edition below.

START READING FULL BOOK
Instant Access    Mobile Friendly

Book Preview

A short preview of the book’s content is shown below to give you an idea of its style and themes.

Section XVIII. Sciences Relating To National Life.—Statistics. Section XIX. Private Economy—Cameralistic Science. Section XX. Private Economy. (Continued.) Section XXI. What Political Economy Treats Of. Chapter III. The Methods Of Political Economy. Section XXII. Former Methods. Section XXIII. The Idealistic Method. Section XXIV. The Idealistic Method. (Continued.) Section XXV. The Idealistic Method. (Continued.) Section XXVI. The Historical Method—The Anatomy And Physiology Of Public Economy. Section XXVII. Advantages Of The Historical Or Physiological Method. Section XXVIII. Advantages Of The Historical Method. (Continued.) Section XXIX. The Practical Character Of The Historical Method In Political Economy. Book I. The Production Of Goods. Chapter I. Factors Of Production. Section XXX. Meaning Of Production. Section XXXI. The Factors Of Production.—External Nature. Section XXXII. External Nature.—The Sea.—Climate. Section XXXIII. External Nature.—Gifts Of Nature With Value In Exchange. Section XXXIV. External Nature. (Continued.) Section XXXV. External Nature.—Elements Of Agricultural Productiveness. Section XXXVI. External Nature.—Further Divisions Of Nature’s Gifts. Section XXXVII. External Nature.—The Geographical Character Of A Country. Section XXXVIII. Of Labor.—Divisions Of Labor. Section XXXIX. Labor.—Taste For Labor.—Piece-Wages. Section XL. Labor.—Labor-Power Of Individuals. Section XLI. Labor.—Effect Of The Esteem In Which It Is Held. Section XLII. Of Capital.—The Classes Of Goods Of Which A Nation’s Capital Is Made Up. Section XLIII. Capital.—Productive Capital. Section XLIV. Capital.—Fixed Capital, And Circulating Capital. Section XLV. Capital.—How It Originates. Chapter II. Co-Operation Of The Factors. Section XLVI. The Productive Coöperation Of The Three Factors. Section XLVII. Productive Co-Operation Of The Three Factors. The Three Great Periods Of A Nation’s Economy. Section XLVIII. Critical History Of The Idea Of Productiveness. Section XLIX. Critical History Of The Idea Of Productiveness.—The Doctrine Of The Physiocrates. Section L. The Same Subject Continued. Section LI. The Same Subject Continued. Section LII. Idea Of Productiveness. Section LIII. The Same Subject Continued. Section LIV. Importance Of A Due Proportion In The Different Branches Of Productiveness. Section LV. The Degree Of Productiveness. Chapter III. The Organization Of Labor. Section LVI. Development Of The Division Of Labor. Section LVII. Development Of The Division Of Labor.—Its Extent At Different Periods. Section LVIII. Advantages Of The Division Of Labor. Section LIX. Conditions Of The Division Of Labor. Section LX. Influence Of The Extent Of The Market On The Division Of Labor. Section LXI. The Division Of Labor—Means Of Increasing It. Section LXII. The Reverse, Or Dark Side Of The Division Of Labor. Section LXIII. Dark Side Of The Division Of Labor.—Its Gain And Loss. Section LXIV. The Co-Operation Of Labor. Section LXV. The Principle Of Stability, Or Of The Continuity Of Work. Section LXVI. Advantage Of Large Enterprises. Chapter IV. Freedom And Slavery. Section LXVII. The Origin Of Slavery. Section LXVIII. The Same Subject Continued. Section LXIX. Origin Of Slavery.—Want Of Freedom. Section LXX. Emancipation. Section LXXI. Disadvantages Of Slavery. Section LXXII. Effect Of An Advance In Civilization On Slavery. Section LXXIII. The Same Subject Continued. Section LXXIV. The Same Subject Continued. Section LXXV. The Same Subject Continued. Section LXXVI. (Appendix To Chapter IV.) The Domestic Servant System. Chapter V. Community Of Goods And Private Property. Capital—Property. Section LXXVII. Capital.—Importance Of Private Property. Section LXXVIII. Socialism And Communism. Section LXXIX. Socialism And Communism. (Continued.) Section LXXX. Socialism And Communism. (Continued.) Section LXXXI. Community Of Goods. Section LXXXII. The Organization Of Labor. Section LXXXIII. The Organization Of Labor. (Continued.) Section LXXXIV. The Organization Of Labor. (Continued.) Section LXXXV. The Right Of Inheritance. Section LXXXVI. Economic Utility Of The Right Of Inheritance. Section LXXXVII. Landed Property. Section LXXXVIII. Landed Property. (Continued.) Chapter VI. Credit. Section LXXXIX. Credit In General. Section XC. Credit—Effects Of Credit. Section XCI. Debtor Laws. Section XCII. History Of Credit Laws. Section...

This is a limited preview. Download the book to read the full content.

Let's be clear: this isn't a beach read. Wilhelm Roscher's 'Principles of Political Economy' is a foundational text from the 19th century that helped shape modern economic history. But don't let that scare you off. Think of it less as a textbook and more as a grand tour of how human societies create, exchange, and think about wealth.

The Story

There isn't a plot in the traditional sense. Instead, Roscher builds his case methodically. He argues that you can't understand economics with just math and theory. You need history, law, and culture. The book walks through the core parts of an economy—production, distribution, trade—but constantly stops to ask 'why?' Why did this system develop here and not there? He uses examples from ancient empires to the emerging industrial world to show that economic laws are deeply tied to a nation's life and stage of development.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was Roscher's perspective. He was writing as Germany was industrializing, looking at Britain's head start and asking hard questions. His approach feels surprisingly modern in its skepticism of one-size-fits-all solutions. He reminds us that economics is fundamentally about people making choices within their specific time and place. It's a humbling counterpoint to the idea of timeless economic truths.

Final Verdict

This book is a project. It's perfect for curious readers who love history and want to see where today's economic ideas came from. If you've ever read Adam Smith or Karl Marx and wondered about the other thinkers in the room, Roscher is your guide. You'll need some patience, but the reward is a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world's financial machinery. Not for the casual reader, but a treasure for the intellectually adventurous.



🔖 Public Domain Content

This publication is available for unrestricted use. Share knowledge freely with the world.

Anthony Lee
1 year ago

Thanks for the recommendation.

4.5
4.5 out of 5 (6 User reviews )

Add a Review

Your Rating *
There are no comments for this eBook.
You must log in to post a comment.
Log in


Related eBooks