----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Another example of the old usage of the term is in James Steuart's "Principles of Political Oeconomy" (1767). The passage is in the introduction to the Book I (page 15 in Skinner's edition): "Oeconomy, in general, is the art of providing for all the wants of a family, with prudence and frugality." Then Steuart projected the concept on to the polity: "What oeconomy is in a family, political oeconomy is in a state." Keith Tribe argued that Steuart doesn't state the existence of an "economy" as a separate sphere or the theoretical object of political economy ("Land, Labour and Economic Discourse", pages 80-85) . Steuart thought that the "political oeconomy" was concerned with the proper management of the polity by a statesman "in such a manner as naturally to create the reciprocal relations and dependencies between them [the inhabitants], so as to make their several interests lead them to supply one another with their reciprocal wants" (Principles, page 17). Hugo Cerqueira Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]