Hermann Heinrich Gossen: a Wirkungsgeschichte of an ignored mathematical economist

Abstract

Considers a Wirkungsgeschichte of Hermann Heinrich Gossen, focusing on the reactions of the three stars of the Marginal Revolution: William Stanley Jevons, Léon Walras and Carl Menger. Although Hermann Heinrich Gossen is today known as one of the forerunners of the Marginal Revolution, it was only in 1879 that Jevons mentioned him in the second edition of the Theory of Political Economy, which contributed greatly toward making Gossen’s name known among English‐speaking readers. Later, in 1885, Walras wrote a famous article in the Journal des Economistes, entitled “Un économiste inconnu: Hermann‐Henri Gossen”. Investigates a Wirkungsgeschichte of Gossen, an ignored German mathematical economist.

Citation

Ikeda, Y. (2000), "Hermann Heinrich Gossen: a Wirkungsgeschichte of an ignored mathematical economist", Journal of Economic Studies, Vol. 27 No. 4/5, pp. 394-415. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443580010342285