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First edition, a scarce uncut copy. The Principles was Malthus's broadest treatment of issues in political economy, conceived as a series of tracts on economic questions, rather than a comprehensive and systematic treatise as with his Principle of Population. Malthus published it to establish his own position against that of Ricardo, with whom he had been having an ongoing debate about the nature of labour, demand, and profit. "In his 'Principles of Political Economy', Malthus was proposing investment in public work and private luxury as a means of increasing effective demand, and hence as a palliative to economic distress. The nation, he thought, must balance the power to produce and the will to consume" (DSB). "The Principles had only a limited impact at the time, and was severely criticized by J. R. McCulloch and Ricardo; the latter prepared extensive critical notes. But more recently it has received greater recognition, largely as a result of the comments by J. M. Keynes in the 1930s. Keynes argued that Malthus's theory of effective demand provided a scientific explanation of unemployment, and that the hundred-year domination of Ricardo over Malthus had been a disaster for the progress of economics. Keynes believed that if economics had followed Malthus instead of being constrained by Ricardo in an artificial groove, the world would be a much wiser and richer place. When Karl Marx referred to Malthus as 'the contemptible Malthus' and as 'a shameless First edition, a scarce uncut copy. The Principles was Malthus's broadest treatment of issues in political economy, conceived as a series of tracts on economic questions, rather than a comprehensive and systematic treatise as with his Principle of Population. Malthus published it to establish his own position against that of Ricardo, with whom he had been having an ongoing debate about the nature of labour, demand, and profit. "In his 'Principles of Political Economy', Malthus was proposing investment in public work and private luxury as a means of increasing effective demand, and hence as a palliative to economic distress. The nation, he thought, must balance the power to produce and the will to consume" (DSB). "The Principles had only a limited impact at the time, and was severely criticized by J. R. McCulloch and Ricardo; the latter prepared extensive critical notes. But more recently it has received greater recognition, largely as a result of the comments by J. M. Keynes in the 1930s. Keynes argued that Malthus's theory of effective demand provided a scientific explanation of unemployment, and that the hundred-year domination of Ricardo over Malthus had been a disaster for the progress of economics. Keynes believed that if economics had followed Malthus instead of being constrained by Ricardo in an artificial groove, the world would be a much wiser and richer place. When Karl Marx referred to Malthus as 'the contemptible Malthus' and as 'a shameless sycophant of the ruling classes', he obviously overlooked the passages in the Principles dealing with the importance of distribution and effective demand as causes of economic growth" (ODNB). READ MORE Octavo. Uncut in original paper boards, rebacked at an early date with brown cloth, preserving the original printed paper label. Front pastedown with contemporary ownership signature, and 20th century bookplate of art historian Gilbert R. Redgrave. Worn around extremities, hinges reinforced, contents clean; a very good copy. Einaudi 3680; Goldsmiths' 22767; Kress C.577.

This work by Thomas Robert Malthus discusses the economic theories related to production and distribution of wealth, providing a critique of contemporary economic theories.