Liberal Aspects of Sidgwick's Economic Ideas
中井 大介
Ikoma Journal of Economics 18 1 1 - 22 2020年07月
In the field of political economy, Sidgwick’s reputation is not so prominent,at least as compared with his stature in ethics. One reason is simply that he was not a pure or a formal type of economist whose academic interest had concentrated on carving out economic theory. However, a transformation has taken place in the concern and evaluation of Sidgwick and his work in recent years. First, we can discern a growing concern for his wide-ranging activities and interesting personality through his engagements with feminism, spiritualism, and intimate friendships. Secondly, the positive role that Sidgwick had in the history of economics has received greater attention. Based on these recent research efforts, we shall further clarify the nature and importance of Sidgwick’s economic ideas from their inherent linkage with his wide-ranging philosophical concerns. No one can deny that Sidgwick's obvious essence penetrating into his whole academic life was utilitarianism. Even so, why did he try to reshape orthodox political economy based on utilitarianism ? And what was his acute concern in political economy in the late nineteenth century ? On these points, liberal aspects we can trace throughout his political economy would appear to be the important clues.