Turgot's "valeurs et monnaies" (1769?) does not mention Crusoe but starts his analysis of value with the notion of a "savage" "isolated man". English translations are in RL Meek Precursors of Adam Smith and more recently - and online - from the Mises institute. FY Edgeworth in his Mathematical Psychics 1881 introduces his famous box with a transaction between Crusoe and Friday, while Ph. Wicksteed picks up Marx's challenge on the Robinsoniads in his critique of Das Kapital in 1884 (available from www.marxists.org).
I think, however, that James Forder is correct in stating that Robinson Crusoe itself is an economic pedagogical device.

Sent from my iPad

On 27 Σεπ 2012, at 11:59 μ.μ., Robert Murphy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear List,
> 
> I am interested in tracking down the history of when economists began
> using Robinson Crusoe as a pedagogical device in their writings. I
> know that Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk uses him to make points about capital
> theory, but I imagine it goes back earlier than Bohm-Bawerk. Are there
> any articles detailing this? Failing that, do the people here have
> ideas for older examples of economists using Robinson Crusoe by name?
> 
> Thanks,
> Bob Murphy