Dear Floris,

I think it very difficult to translate it into English.
When a layman hears this expression, it certainly sounds like
a development of religious theories, to be sure.
During my stay in Germany in 1990s,
when I explained my field by using this expression,
a typical reaction was:
"Oh, but that has nothing to do with church?"
The expression is a bit obsolete now, but
still continues to be used.
Perhaps my German friends can explain the situation better than I do.

Cheers,

Yukihiro Ikeda
Department of Economics
Keio University

(2011/07/18 21:22), Floris Heukelom wrote:
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Dear Colleagues,
 
Schumpeter labels the historical method of Epochen der Dogmen- und Methodengeschichte (1914) and History of Economic Analysis (1954) Dogmengeschichte. I'm not really sure how to translate this into English, doctrinal history perhaps? The English translation of the first book solves the matter as: Economic Doctrine and Method, an historical sketch (1954). Mark Blaug's Economic theory in retrospect (1997) understands it as dogmatic 'positivism.' Would anyone know if a standard English translation exists for Dogmengeschichte?
 
More importantly, would anyone know of an (historical) analysis of this use and understanding of history? Schumpeter spends a few words defending the history of economics in the first few pages of History of Economic Analysis, but doesn't elaborate on how his approach compares to other historiographies. Moreover, earlier books mentioned in Epochen as well as historical approaches of Dutch economists in the nineteenth century (which is what brought me to it in the first place) suggests it goes back further, and suggests also it defies the usual distinction between relativist and absolutist historical analysis. 
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated and may be sent either via the SHOE list or off-list to [log in to unmask].
 
Kind regards,
 
Floris