William Stanley Jevons is regarded by many as bringing mathematical methods to the study of economics. The Theory of Political Economy brought together maths and the theory of utility, this contribution marked Jevons as a leading political economist of his time.
William Stanley Jevons The Theory of Political Economy (3rd ed, 1888) - The creator of the Theory of Utility which is taught as a core part of microeconomics. He is regarded by many as bringing mathematical methods to the study of economics. The Theory of Political Economy brought together math and the theory of utility, this contribution marked Jevons out as a leading political economist of his time. Palgrave Macmillan has a rich heritage in economics publishing and for the early part of the twentieth century we traded heavily on this reputation. The result of promoting our heritage was increased visibility amongst student, academics and policy makers. The Palgrave Classics in Economics aims to revive this heritage. The classics will be instrumental in increasing our global visibility, motivating the next generations of the great economists to publish with us and drawing in a new generation of readers to the Palgrave Macmillan brand.
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Mathematical Character of the Science
2. Confusion Between Mathematical and Exact Science
3. Capability of Exact Measurement
4. Measurement of Feeling and Motives
5. Logical Method of Economics
6. Relation of Economics to Ethics
PART II: THEORY OF PLEASURE AND PAIN
7. Pleasure and Pain as Quantities
8. Pain the Negative of Pleasure
9. Anticipated Feeling
10. Uncertainty of Future Events
PART III: THEORY OF UTILITY
11. Definition of Terms
12. The Laws of Human Want
13. Utility is not an Intrinsic Quality
14. Law of the Variation of Utility
15. Total Utility and Degree of Utility
16. Variation of the Final Degree of Utility
17. Disutility and Discommodity
18. Distribution of Commodity in different Uses
19. Theory of Dimensions of Economic Quantities
20. Actual Prospective and Potential Utility
21. Distribution of a Commodity in Time
PART IV: THEORY OF EXCHANGE
22. Importance of Exchange in Economics
23. Ambiguity of the term Value
24. Value Expresses Ratio of Exchange
25. Popular use of the term Value
26. Dimension of Value
27. Definition of Market
28. Definition of Trading Body
29. The Law of Indifference
30. The Theory of Exchange
31. Symbolic Statement of the Theory
32. Analogy to the Theory of the Lever
33. Impediments to Exchange
34. Illustrations of the Theory of Exchange
35. Problems in the Theory of Exchange
36. Complex Cases of the Thoery
37. Competition in Exchange
38. Failure of the Equations of Exchange
39. Negative and Zero Value
40. Equivalence of Commodities
41. The Gain by Exchange
42. Numerical Determination of the Laws of Utility
43. Opinions as to the Variation of Price
44. Variation of the Price of Corn
45. The Origin of Value
PART V: THEORY OF LABOUR
46. Definition of Labour
47. Quantitative Notions of Labour
48. Symbolic Statement of the Theory
49. Dimensions of Labour
50. Relations of Economic Quantities
51. Various Cases of the Theory
52. Joint Production
53. Over-Production
54. Limits to the Intensity of Labour
PART VI: THEORY OF RENT
55. Accepted Opinions concerning Rent
56. Symbolic Statement of the Theory
57. Illustrations of the Theory
PART VII: THEORY OF CAPITAL
58. The Function of Capital
59. Capital is concerned with Time
60. Quantitative Notions concerning Capital
61. Expression for Amount of Investment
62. Dimensions of Capital, Credit and Debit
63. Effect of the Duration of Work
64. Illustrations of the Investment of Capital
65. Fixed and Circulating Capital
66. Free and Invested Capital
67. Uniformity of the Rate of Interest
68. General Expression for the Rate of Interest
69. Dimension of Interest
70. Peacock on the Dimensions of Interest
71. Tendency of Profits to a Minimum
72. Advantage of Capital to Industry
73. Are Articles in the Consumers' hands Capital?
PART VIII: CONCLUDING REMARKS
74. The Doctrine of Population
75. Relation of Wages and Profit
76. Professor Hearn's Views
77. The Noxious Influence of Authority