Henry Higgs
Encyclopedia
Henry Higgs was a British civil servant, economist, and historian of economic thought
.
Higgs joined the War Office as a Lower Division Clerk in 1882. From there he moved to the Postmaster General's Office in 1884 when he also began taking courses at University College
, London. He received an LLB degree at the latter in 1890. He went to Treasury in 1899 and was appointed Private Secretary of then-Prime Minister Henry Campbell Bannerman for three years before returning to Treasury in 1908.
Higgs was a founding member of the British Economic Association in 1890 and contributed to securing a Royal Charter
for it in 1902, which was followed by a name change to the Royal Economic Society
. He was Secretary for the organization from 1892 to 1905. He was also assistant editor of the Economic Journal
from 1896 to 1905 during the tenure of F.Y. Edgeworth) as editor.
Among other subjects, Higgs wrote on the economist Richard Cantillon
and edited what became the standard version of Cantillon's Essai sur la nature du commerce en général
.. He also wrote on the Physiocrats
, the financial system of the United Kingdom, and financial reform. He also compiled a historical bibliography on economic thought. Higgs was an early supporter of and contributor to Dictionary of Political Economy, Inglis Palgrave
, ed., (1894, ..., 1908), to which he contributed 19 entries. He edited the only edition of the Dictionary not edited by Palgrave, adding Palgrave's name to the title and penning 40 more entries .
History of economic thought
The history of economic thought deals with different thinkers and theories in the subject that became political economy and economics from the ancient world to the present day...
.
Higgs joined the War Office as a Lower Division Clerk in 1882. From there he moved to the Postmaster General's Office in 1884 when he also began taking courses at University College
University College
University College can refer to several institutions:- Canada :* University College, University of Toronto* University College of the North, The Pas, Manitoba* Booth University College, Winnipeg, Manitoba...
, London. He received an LLB degree at the latter in 1890. He went to Treasury in 1899 and was appointed Private Secretary of then-Prime Minister Henry Campbell Bannerman for three years before returning to Treasury in 1908.
Higgs was a founding member of the British Economic Association in 1890 and contributed to securing a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
for it in 1902, which was followed by a name change to the Royal Economic Society
Royal Economic Society
The Royal Economic Society is incorporated by a Royal Charter dated 2 December 1902. It is one of the oldest economic associations in the world. Currently it has over 3,300 individual members, of whom 60% live outside the United Kingdom...
. He was Secretary for the organization from 1892 to 1905. He was also assistant editor of the Economic Journal
Economic journal
The Economic Journal is one of the leading scholarly journals of economics. It is published on behalf of the Royal Economic Society by Wiley-Blackwell....
from 1896 to 1905 during the tenure of F.Y. Edgeworth) as editor.
Among other subjects, Higgs wrote on the economist Richard Cantillon
Richard Cantillon
Richard Cantillon was an Irish-French economist and author of Essai sur la Nature du Commerce en Général , a book considered by William Stanley Jevons to be the "cradle of political economy". Although little information exists on Cantillon's life, it is known that he became a successful banker and...
and edited what became the standard version of Cantillon's Essai sur la nature du commerce en général
Essay on the Nature of Trade in General
Essay on the Nature of Trade in General is a book about economics by Richard Cantillon. Written around 1730, and published in French in 1755....
.. He also wrote on the Physiocrats
Physiocrats
Physiocracy is an economic theory developed by the Physiocrats, a group of economists who believed that the wealth of nations was derived solely from the value of "land agriculture" or "land development." Their theories originated in France and were most popular during the second half of the 18th...
, the financial system of the United Kingdom, and financial reform. He also compiled a historical bibliography on economic thought. Higgs was an early supporter of and contributor to Dictionary of Political Economy, Inglis Palgrave
Inglis Palgrave
Sir Robert Harry Inglis Palgrave FRS FSS was a British economist.He was educated at Charterhouse School and the University of Cambridge. In 1843, at the age of 16, he joined the bank of Deacon, Williams and Co. He then in 1845 joined Dawson Turner Turner and Gurney in Yarmouth, the banking firm of...
, ed., (1894, ..., 1908), to which he contributed 19 entries. He edited the only edition of the Dictionary not edited by Palgrave, adding Palgrave's name to the title and penning 40 more entries .