Economic History at the London School of Economics and Political Science: A View from the Periphery

Examining the intellectual and institutional development of the subject, Lewis argues that the LSE’s founders regarded economic history as a core discipline, a bridge between economics and other social sciences that was critical to the mission to foster applied research and practical education. Methodological pluralism, deploying theory to frame questions about social, economic and political change, and recognition of the interpretive power of analysis based on qualitative and quantitative data remain central. Early practitioners like Power, Tawney and Fisher also saw how studying the past facilitated an evaluation of contemporary problems. An emphasis on the relevant and radical, along with methodological diversity, explanation and argument, supported by a variety of sources, account for the emergence of the subject—and are crucial to its survival.