Despatch within 5 Days

 

The possible indebtedness of political economy to fourth-century Greek thinkers has been widely debated; the contribution of Islam, on the other hand, is consistently forgotten. This volume addresses this neglect by examining in three parts the following questions: Is there a school of economic thought that can be considered specifically 'Arab', or have the Arabs succeeded in combining the Greek heritage with other, more oriental currents? Muslim economic thought has enriched the

 

Hellenic contribution to economic thought in the areas of government of the kingdom by the caliph, of the city and … the household organisation; the Arab concept of tadbîr should be examined in relation to each of these three levels. In rejecting profit, usury, egoism and monopoly, and in preaching moderation, altruism, the practice of fair prices, and unselfishness, Islam inaugurated an 'economic system' which has derived from that of the Greeks and which laid the basis for pre-capitalist thought.

 

REVIEW

'This is a serious piece of scholarship in the field of Arab-Muslim Economic Thought. In my opinion, it is essential reading for those interested in the history of economic thought.'
Mohammed K. Abdel-Haq, Muslim World Book Review, 1997.

 

About the Author

Yassine Essid, Docteur es-lettres (1988) from the University of Paris I Sorbonne, is Professor of History at the Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines de Sfax, Tunisia. He has published extensively on the history of ancient Greek and Islamic thought.