Grundsätze der National-Oekonomie oder National-Wirthschaftslehre.

Halle: bey dem Verfasser und in Commission der Ruffschen Verlagshandlung,, 1805. Adam Smith meets German cameralism First edition, an important work of what Schumpeter calls "Smithian cameralism" (History of Economic Analysis, p. 501), bringing the principles of the Wealth of Nations firmly into German economic thought, reconciling Smith's free trade with the German cameralist school of the economy as a tool of state interest. Jakob (1759-1827) was professor at the University of Halle from 1789 onwards, initially focusing on Kantian philosophy, moving to political economy with the turn of the 19th century. Jakob's close adherence with Kantianism was characteristic of the first generation of Adam Smith's followers in Germany. The present work is in effect a textbook of political economy. The tripartite division of production-distribution-consumption is introduced in the work, preceding the same division used in the second edition of Say's Traité d'économie politique in 1814. "A closer examination of Jakob's textbook reveals that the old German association of state and economy was shook at the beginning of the nineteenth century when cameralism eventually was replaced by Nationalokönomie. This involved an emphasis on economic activity and economic order arising from the needs of the individual where the concept of Polizei now became a limited one stripped of many of its functions which hitherto had been accepted. Although it would be an exaggeration to credit Jakob alone with the introduction and systematization of the new concept, his Grundsätze reflect the fundamental shift to the new doctrine which had taken place in the clearest way... This did neither imply a full victory of liberalism nor that Nationalokönomie became identical with British Political Economics or French économique politique. It rather meant that the first half of the nineteenth century is characterized by a coexistence of a new Nationalokönomie with a modified Staatswirthschaftslehre" (History of Economic Ideas, vol. IV, no. 3, 1996, pp. 82-3). Further editions appeared in Kharkov in 1809, and again in Halle in 1819 and 1825. Octavo (173 x 104 mm). Contemporary black paper boards, orange paper label lettered in gilt, red edges. Complete with terminal errata. Contemporary ink inscription to front free endpaper, library stamp of the Anfort family's Haus Landfort manor to title page. Slight stripping to paper around extremities, binding still fresh with firm joints, some light browning and foxing as usual. A very good copy. Einaudi 3038; Humpert 7704; Kress B.4927; Menger, col. 81; not in Goldsmiths'.