Marshall’s economic organon: the One in the Many and the Many in the One

Huan Wang and Liqun Du

Cambridge Journal of Economics, 2025, vol. 49, issue 3, 429-448

Abstract: Marshall’s fragmented and incomplete account of his methodological perspectives has been a source of controversy. This paper argues that Marshall consistently employed a preliminary framework for economic methods, with the concept of the ‘organon’. This framework aligns with his view of economics as an engine for tracing the ‘reasoned history of man’, highlighting his integrative approach to economic inquiry. Marshall’s economic organon incorporated various constructive methods, such as analogical reasoning, organic evolution and historical analysis, reflecting the progress of the natural and social sciences. To reconcile divergent paradigms, Marshall resorted to the dialectical motto of ‘the One in the Many, the Many in the One’ as both a guiding principle and a strategic compromise. Furthermore, this paper asserts that Marshall’s economic organon extends beyond methodological perspectives to practical dimensions, as is in his academic activities and pedagogical practices.

Keywords: Alfred Marshall; Economic organon; Analogical reasoning; Reconciliation problem; Reasoned history (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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