Political economy, like other scientific disciplines, has not evolved in a linear way. Its history contains a succession and an interweaving of developments, which represent specific expressions of theoretical discourse and the different ways people have attempted to address questions concerning the nature, the structure and the working of economic phenomenon. This new, updated and expanded edition outlines the global and complex developments of economic science and, at the same time, offers a detailed review of scientific contributions that continue - despite changing historical conditions - to represent the bases of political economy.

Contents: Methodological Preface - 1. Origins of Economic Thought: Styles and Perspectives - 2. The Scientific Revolution and Early Systematic Approaches to Economy Phenomenon - 3. The Bases of Political Economy - 4. Critiques and Theoretical Alternatives to Economic "Classicism" - 5. From Classic Liberalism to Marginalist Individualism - 6. The Evolution of Marginalism from the Late 19th Century to the Early 20th Century - 7. The Decline of Marginalism and Innovative Ferment - 8. Keynesian Economics - 9. The Unfolding of Keynesian Thought - 10. Other Post-WWII Theoretical Developments - Appendix - Index of Names.

Daniela Parisi teaches History of Economic Thought in the Faculty of Economics at the Catholic University of Milan.