4to. Bound in three uniform, a bit later (ab. 1850) blue half calf bindings w. gilt lettering and gilt library-number to spines. Blindstamped ex libris of "Public Libraries, Nottingham" on front boards. A bit of wear to backs, especially at capitals; volume three with some scratches to front board and small piece of leather missing at upper, but all in all a nice, solid and tight set with all three edges of all three volumes marbled. Internally very nice and clean w. only minor occasional brownspotting. Small library stamp to title-pages and some other pages. (8), XXXI, (1), 632 pp.; VIII, 692; (2) pp + pp. 443*-444*; VIII pp., pp. 692-904 + pp. 737*-744* + pp. 737**-744** (** is marked in the text with a dagger), (Appendix and index:) CCCCXXX, (1, -Direction to the Binder) pp. + one plate. Complete with all three title-pages, all the extra leaves (1 in vol. 2 and eight in vol. three), the plate in the Appendix and the direction to the book binder.
The seminal first edition of this classic in the history of economics, statistics and sociology, which constitutes a breakthorugh work within the field of labour economics and deeply influenced the likes of Marx and Malthus. The work is Eden's main work and it is because of this that he is considered as having produced the first statistical field worker as well as himself being considered "the only pupil of Adam Smith who achieved anything of significance in the eighteenth century" (Marx). The work is considered the foundation of sociological investigation, and an outstanding performace "which in scope and method has no equal in the English or any other literature of the period." (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis, p. 275). The pioneering social investigator and business man Sir Frederick Morton Eden (1766-1809) is considered a hugely important and influential writer on poverty and social and political subjects because of his groundbreaking main work "The State of the Poor". Before he wrote the work, for which he has gained international and everlasting renown, he co-founded the Globe Insurance Company and afterwards became its chairman. In 1797 he wrote his seminal book which, based on factual information gathered throughout the country, was to found the basis for the future debate on the question of the poor. "The difficulties which the labouring classes experienced, from the high price of grain, and of provisions in general, as well as of clothing and fuel, during the years 1794 and 1795, induced me, from motives of both benevolence and personal curiosity, to investigate their condition in various parts of the kingdom. As I advanced in my enquiries, the subject became so interesting, that I persuaded myself the result would be acceptable to the Public, if I should be able to lay before them accurate details respecting the present state of the Labouring part of the community, as well as the actual Poor." (Preface, p. (I)). The first volume thus contains a description of the condition of the labouring classes and an analysis of its causes, and the other two volumes contain all the gathered information that constitute the supporting facts of his theories, including tables of prices and wages and a list of works on poverty and its alleviation. The supporting facts are presented in the form of parochial reports from e.g. workhouses, houses of industry and charities, and not only has Eden gathered this material himself, but "as it was impossible that an individual, (engaged in professional avocations,) should find leisure, himself to visit as many districts as were necessary to form a complete view of the subject, I was happy to find it in my power to prevail on a few respectable clergymen and others to favour me with many accurate, and, I trust, valuable, communications. To other parishes and districts, not thus accessible to me, I sent a remarkably faithful and intelligent person; who has spent more than a year travelling from place to place, for the express purpose of obtaining exact information, agreeably to a set of Queries with which I furnished him: and that my object in instituting these enquiries, as well as the progress I have made in accomplishing it, may be more obvious to the Reader, a copy of these Queries is here subjoined." (Preface, p. II). These facts are of the utmost importance to the development of both statistics, economics and social and political theories throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and the impact of the work on those fields is difficult to overestimate. "The price and wage data and the budget study in the third volume are particularly important." (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis, p. 275). "Eden's own work, notwithstanding its originality, might now be forgotten if it were not for the invaluable collection of facts attached to it, which can never cease to be of importance. More valuable even than these, however, is the method he adopted of obtaining and systematizing statistically the details of so diffuse a problem; It has proved the basis of sociological investigation ever since. Perhaps the greatest tribute to Eden's achievement is that paid to him by Karl Marx in "Das Kapital". (PMM 249). Eden was convinced that only self-help could help the poor, and he was against any form of interference in the free market. He found the Poor Law to be a menace and a devastating strain on society, and his invaluable collection of facts continues to be of the utmost importance to social study to this day. "Arthur Young's estimates of the normal budget of a rural labourer's family takes it for granted that the chief breadwinner could not have provided a minimum of existence for his family without the earnings of his wife and children... But fact-finding activity was in a much better situation, and its results constitute, in the field of labour economics, the most important achievement of that epoch. The outstanding performance was Eden's (note referring to "The State of the Poor"), which in scope and method has no equal in the English or any other literature of the period. Of particular interest for us is the fact that the author, although he disclaimed any intention beyond what fact-finding implies (he offers some interesting discussions, nevertheless), was fully aware of the importance of his facts, not only for the purpose of legislative and administrative practice, but also for economic analysis. He worked, as he said himself, as one of the "hewers of stone and drawers of water" without whom "the edifice of political knowledge cannot be reared". It is of the utmost importance to bear in mind, that, though the greatest figure, he was not alone in that field… Work of this type paved the way toward the legislative developments of the nineteenth century." (Schumpeter, History of Economic Analysis, p. 275). "In emphasizing the need for impartial observation of social phenomena and their quantification, and for the example he set throughout the course of his own endeavours, Eden laid essential foundations for objective social enquiry. His methods and findings, for which there was no precedent, have continued to this day to inform thinking on poverty and to influence the methodology of the social sciences and their approach to social policy." (Pyatt and Ward, The Study of Poverty, 1997, p. 3).
DKK 70000.00
This item is listed on Bibliopoly by Lynge & Søn (www.lynge.com); click here for further details.