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Date: | Fri Mar 31 17:19:19 2006 |
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----------------- HES POSTING -----------------
At 16:49 14/9/99, J. Barkley Rosser, Jr. wrote:
> Streissler makes no reference at all, at least in the IEA paper, to
> Gossen. Where does he fit in and why do many English language
> sources make this apparently silly claim about him? More
> entrenched textbook errors a la Stigler?
These issues are discussed in Yukihiro Ikeda's paper on the
'Wirkungsgeschichte' of Hermann Heinrich Gossen, forthcoming in
'Journal of Economic Studies'. Gossen worked in complete isolation
and did not have an academic position. I also think that only few
copies of his book have been printed. These elements help explain
why he was ignored in his days. In 1878 Adamson 'rediscovered'
Gossen and informed Jevons; Jevons informed Walras on the existence
of the book. Therefore, there is no direct influence of Gossen on
Jevons or Walras, as their principal works were first published in 1871
and 1874 respectively (moreover Jevons formed his basic ideas in the
early 1860's). Ikeda writes that Menger got information on Gossen
from the Dutch economist d'Aulnis, who corresponded with Jevons
and Walras as well. Menger bought a copy of the book in 1886.
Although Menger referred to Gossen in 1887, he remained indifferent to
marginal utility theory and mathematical methods.
Bert Mosselmans
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