We should make a clear distinction between history of economic analysis and 
history of economic doctrines, as suggested by Fetter (1965, American 
Economic Review). 
 
When Weintraub argues that HOPE should reach the standards of the history 
of physics, he is referring to the history of economic doctrines : economic 
theories should be placed in a historical context, which includes society, 
philosophy, religion, other disciplines etc.  The economic historian is 
trying to discover the reasons why something happened, and which 
consequences followed from it.  The goal of this research is a critical 
re-examination of our present position, through a review of its origins. 
It should give rise to doctrinal criticism, or to the "subversive function" 
Robert Leeson is referring to. 
 
On the other hand, the history of economic analysis is trying to provide 
analytical improvements for contemporary economic theory through a review 
of past 'models'.  We can refer to analytical Marxism (Elster or Roemer) or 
Sraffa's review of Ricardo.  I think that this approach is defended by Greg 
Ransom when he discusses Darwinian biology. 
 
To sum up : I think that both approaches are legitimate.  It is important, 
however, to choose sides, since otherwise the result would be confusion. 
Whereas a historian of doctrines will criticize the historian of analysis 
for not providing adequate historical descriptions, the historian of 
analysis will argue that the historian of doctrines does not offer 'new' 
analytical contributions.  We should clearly state in what way we use the 
concept of 'interpretation' of a historical text. 
 
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Bert Mosselmans 
Free University of Brussels 
CFEC M418 
Pleinlaan 2 - 1050 Brussels - Belgium 
Tel. 0032/2/629.21.20 
Fax 0032/2/629.22.82 
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My homepage : http://cfec.vub.ac.be/cfec/bert.htm 
VUB's homepage : http://www.vub.ac.be/VUB-home.html 
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