The Science of Political Economy [antikvár]

PREFACE. IN " Progress and Poverty" I recast political economy in what were at the time the points which most needed recasting. Criticism has but shown the soundness of the views there expressed. But "Progress and Poverty" did not cover the whole field of political economy, and was necessarily in large measure of a controversial rather than of a constructive nature. To do more than this was at the time beyond the leisure at my command. Nor did I see fully the necessity. For while I realized the greatness of the forces which would throw themselves against the simple truth which I endeavored to make clear, I did think that should "Progress and Poverty" succeed in commanding anything like wide attention, there would be at least some of the professed teachers of political economy who, recognizing the ignored truths which I had endeavored to make clear, would fit them in with what of truth was already understood and taught. The years which have elapsed since the publication of "Progress and Poverty" have been on my part devoted to the propagation of the truths taught in " Progress and Poverty" by books, pamphlets, magazine articles, newspaper work, lectures and speeches, and have been so greatly successful as not only far to exceed what fifteen years ago I could have dared to look forward to in this time, but to have given me reason to feel that of all the vii