- 著者
-
山本 崇史
- 出版者
- 経済学史学会
- 雑誌
- 経済学史研究 (ISSN:18803164)
- 巻号頁・発行日
- vol.59, no.1, pp.21-42, 2017 (Released:2019-09-01)
Abstract:
Pigou actively participated in the tariff reform controversy and contributed to several writings and articles on tariff reform in the early 20th century. In A Study in Public Finance (1st ed. 1928; 3rd ed. 1947), his foreign trade theory was given a new perspective in the form of the theory of tax revenue. Pigouʼs interest in foreign trade is evident in Economics in Practice: Six Lectures on Current Issues (1935) and Alfred Marshall and Current Thought (1953). In these writings, trade balances are the main focus. In view of these activities, it can be inter-preted that Pigou studied foreign trade theory continuously and from the perspective of con-tributing to real economic policies. Pigouʼs foreign trade theory of later years is significant for our study, as it allows us to understand the progression of his economic theory and how it follows Marshallʼs theory.
This paper examines the influence of Marshall on Pigou, based on similarities in their foreign trade theories and policies. In view of Pigouʼs considerations of the ʻrepresentative balesʼ concept, analytical similarities on import tax and export tax, elasticity, recognition of the present conditions of England, and ethical issue of taxation, we find an inheritance of for-eign trade theory from Marshall to Pigou, as well as quotations and references to Money Credit and Commerce. In view of the fact that Pigou largely changed the argument of the first edition to deal with new problems, while being based on Marshallʼs foreign trade theory us-ing elasticity, we also find the application of Marshallʼs foreign trade theory by Pigou. There-fore, we can consider A Study in Public Finance to be an indispensable work for investigating the relation between the theories and policies of Pigou and Marshall.
JEL classification numbers: B 13, B 21, F 11.