Early Economic Works of Henry Brougham

Abstract

As noted earlier, Brougham is often characterized as one who tried to do too many things and in the end accomplished nothing of lasting value.¹ Many of his writings, particularly those on political economy, are dismissed as too hastily formulated or not well considered; indeed his biographers generally ignore his economic writings. When his economic efforts are considered, they are usually not evaluated favorably. Arthur Aspinall (1927, p. 226) observed that ‘his knowledge of the general principles of political economy was lamentably inferior to his knowledge of practical detail;’ and noted further that David Ricardo had once remarked that Brougham was ‘not even perfect in Adam Smith’s work, and really appears not to have paid any attention to the works which have been published in our day.’²