Introduction

Abstract

The introduction examines the existing historiography on the concept of power within economic theory. Mosca explains that this book is on how the notion of power has been employed by economists of the past with different ideologies and orientations. She identifies four aspects of power in economic thought: political power, asymmetries of economic power, market power and the power of economists as policymakers. Finally she introduces the chapters of the book outlining the paths taken by economists’ ideas on power in western economic thought.