Books & eBooks
Use the advanced search feature of BU Libraries Search to search for books and ebooks on economics. Enter the search term “economics” into the search box (or whatever term you would like to search) and select “in subject” from the drop-down menu and click on the search button.
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Selected Books on Economics
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy by
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy remains one of the greatest works of social theory written in thenbsp;twentieth Century. Schumpeter's contention that the seeds of capitalism's decline were internal, and his equal and opposite hostility to centralist socialism have perplexed, engaged and infuriated readers since the book's first publication in 1943. By refusing to become an advocate for either position, Schumpeter was able both to make his own great and original contribution and to clear the way for a more balanced consideration of the most important social movements of his and our time.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2010
Classical Economics by
In this unconvential and sharply written text Hollander introduces the work of Smith, Ricardo, and Mill, and, on specific topics, Malthus and Marx.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2016
Classical Economics Today: Essays in Honor of Alessandro Roncaglia by
Classical Economics Today: Essays in Honor of Alessandro Roncaglia is a collection of essays that pays tribute to Alessandro Roncaglia whose research is based on Schumpeter's dictum that good economics must encompass history, economic theory and statistics, and therefore does not generally take the form of elegant formal models that are applicable to all and everything. In this direction, Roncaglia is inspired by the Classical economists of the past and becomes a model for present-day Classical economists. A perceptible family air imbues the essays: all the contributors are friends of Roncaglia and see his personality and his interests as a common point of reference.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2018
The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money by
This book was originally published by Macmillan in 1936. It was voted the top Academic Book that Shaped Modern Britain by Academic Book Week (UK) in 2017, and in 2011 was placed on Time Magazine's top 100 non-fiction books written in English since 1923. Reissued with a fresh Introduction by the Nobel-prize winner Paul Krugman and a new Afterword by Keynes' biographer Robert Skidelsky, this important work is made available to a new generation. The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money transformed economics and changed the face of modern macroeconomics. Keynes' argument is based on the idea that the level of employment is not determined by the price of labour, but by the spending of money. It gave way to an entirely new approach where employment, inflation and the market economy are concerned. Highly provocative at its time of publication, this book and Keynes' theories continue to remain the subject of much support and praise, criticism and debate. Economists at any stage in their career will enjoy revisiting this treatise and observing the relevance of Keynes' work in today's contemporary climate.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2018
Human Action by
4 books in slipcase. Mises attributes the tremendous technological progress and the consequent increase in wealth and general welfare in the last two centuries to the introduction of liberal government policies based on free-market economic teachings, creating an economic and political environment which permits individuals to pursue their respective goals in freedom and peace. Mises also explains the futility and counter-productiveness of government attempts to regulate, control, and equalise all people's circumstances: "Men are born unequal and... it is precisely their inequality that generates social cooperation and civilisation."
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2007
An Outline of the History of Economic Thought by
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of economics from its beginnings, at the end of the Middle Ages, up to contemporary developments. It is strong on contemporary theory, providing extensive coverage of the twentieth century, particularly since the Second World War. The second edition has been revised and updated to take account of new developments in economic thought.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2005
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History by
What were the economic roots of modern industrialism? Were labor unions ever effective in raising workers' living standards? Did high levels of taxation in the past normally lead to economic decline? These and similar questions profoundly inform a wide range of intertwined social issues whose complexity, scope, and depth become fully evident in the Encyclopedia. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field, the Encyclopedia is divided not only by chronological and geographic boundaries, but also by related subfields such as agricultural history, demographic history, business history, and the histories of technology, migration, and transportation. The articles, all written and signed by international contributors, include scholars from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Covering economic history in all areas of the world and segments of ecnomies from prehistoric times to the present, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History is the ideal resource for students, economists, and general readers, offering a unique glimpse into this integral part of world history.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2003
A Theory of the Consumption Function by
What is the exact nature of the consumption function? Can this term be defined so that it will be consistent with empirical evidence and a valid instrument in the hands of future economic researchers and policy makers? In this volume a distinguished American economist presents a new theory of the consumption function, tests it against extensive statistical J material and suggests some of its significant implications. Central to the new theory is its sharp distinction between two concepts of income, measured income, or that which is recorded for a particular period, and permanent income, a longer-period concept in terms of which consumers decide how much to spend and how much to save. Milton Friedman suggests that the total amount spent on consumption is on the average the same fraction of permanent income, regardless of the size of permanent income. The magnitude of the fraction depends on variables such as interest rate, degree of uncertainty relating to occupation, ratio of wealth to income, family size, and so on. The hypothesis is shown to be consistent with budget studies and time series data, and some of its far-reaching implications are explored in the final chapter. "...the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century...possibly of all of it."--The Economist "Friedman argued that the best way to make sense of saving and spending was not, as Keynes had done, to resort to loose psychological theorizing, but rather to think of individuals as making rational plans about how to spend their wealth over their lifetimes...The details are a bit technical, but Friedman's 'permanent income hypothesis' and the Ando-Modigliani 'life cycle model' resolved several apparent paradoxes about the relationship between income and spending, and remain the foundations of how economists think about spending and saving to this day."--Paul Krugman, New York Times
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2016A Treatise on Political Economy; or the Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Wealth by With reproduction of t.p. of 1880 ed. which was translated from the 4th ed. of the French, by C. R. Princep, with notes by the translator, a New American ed. containing a translation of the introd. and additional notes by Clement C. Biddle, published in Philadelphia by Claxton, Remsen & Haggelfinger. Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest, 2015. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest affiliated libraries.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2001
The Wealth of Nations by
Presents Adam Smith's classical economic theory which includes topics such as improvement in labor production, the accumulation of stock, opulence in the nations, and systems of political economy.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2001
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Getting Items Not Available at BU Libraries
Even if BU Libraries doesn't own something you need for your studies, we can get it for you pretty quickly from another library.
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Interlibrary Loan is a service that allows current BU students, faculty, and staff to request books, articles, book chapters, and other materials from other libraries. Visit our Interlibrary Loan page to find forms to request items.
- BU Libraries Search and WorldCat Discovery. You can look an item up on BU Libraries Search or you can use an external search, like WorldCat Discovery, which will offer you a link to "Find@BU" and this will bring you to BU Libraries Search. When you log in to request the item, some of the item's information will pre-populate in the ILL form for you.
Want to borrow an item in person?
- Books from Boston College, Northeastern, and Brandeis. Books can be borrowed from the libraries of these three institutions using your Terrier card.
- Boston Library Consortium (BLC) Card​s. A BLC Card allows you to borrow circulating material from member libraries, just as you would from BU Libraries. Boston University faculty, staff, and students on the Charles River Campus may obtain a Consortium Card by filling out an application form. Medical Campus affiliates should apply at the Alumni Medical Library.
