Friedrich List - Outlines of American System Political Economy

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In this must-read economic classic, Friedrich List elaborates most poignantly the difference between the British-imperial free trade doctrine and the "American System" of economics, which was later to guide also Germany and Japan in their industrialisation.

250 pages, German and English text

The July 2, 1927 London Economist wrote of this book:

"To English readers an attraction will be found in Lists' continuous and energetic polemic against Adam Smith, and in the close study he made of English political and social institutions...

"List believed in the progressive development of nations, as measured by their productive forces. He took the broadest possible view of these forces and of the factors governing them, not only in the purely economic, but also in the political and ethical or religious spheres; everything indeed that makes for high culture and strong civilisation."


Table of Contents

Friedrich List
Outlines of American Political Economy

Charles J. Ingersoll to the National Gazette

Lafayette to List
Letter 1 The Fundamental Error to the Free Trade Theory
Letter 2 The Differences between the British and the American System
Letter 3 The Political Motives of the Free Trade Doctrine
Letter 4 A Nation's Productive Powers
Letter 5 Each Nation Has its Particular Economy
Letter 6 Individual Economy is not Political Economy
Letter 7 Political Economy is not Cosmopolitan Economy
Letter 8 The Advantages of a Judicious Tariff System
Letter 9 An Outline of British Foreign and Economic Policy
Letter 10 America Must not Remain Dependent on Exports to England
Letter 11 Manufactures would also be Advantageous to the Southern States
Letter 12 The American System Serves the Interest of All Citizens

Commentary by Michael Liebig
Friedrich List and the "American System" of Economics

I. The Historical Context of List's Outlines

a) Biographical Information on List's Stay in the United States
b) Fundamental Issues of American Politics During List's Stay in the United States

II. The Methodological Context of List's Outlines

a) List and Adam Smith
b) Alexander Hamilton and the American System
c) Mathew Carey
d) List and the Early Italo-French Economic Theorye
e) List, the Early Cameralists, and Leibniz

III. List and the Theory of Productive Powers today

a) LaRouche's Theory of Physical Economy
b) Scientifically Founded Economic Policy: Indicative Planning
c) The Conference of the Friedrich List Society, September 1931

IV. The American System and the Recent Debate on Economic Policy in the United States

a) The "Conservative Revolution"
b) Resistance to the Conservative Revolution
c) List and Hamilton are Hauled off the Book-shelves
d) A New Economic Strategy?
e) "Protectionist, and Proud of it"
f) Republicans Remember the American System

V. Concluding Remarks

Epilogue by Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr.
Leibniz and the List Hypothesis

The Essence of History
The Role of the U.S.A.
The Creative Principle

Footnotes to the Outlines

Footnotes to the Commentary

Timeline