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Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk


Birthplace

Austro-Hungary.

Posts Held

Prof. Econ., Univ. Innsbruck, 1881-9; Civil servant, Austrian Ministry of Fin., 1889-1904; Minister of Fin., 1895, 1897, 1900; Prof. Econ., Univ. Vienna, 1904-14.

Degrees

Graduate in Law, Univ. Vienna.

Publications

Books: 1. Capital and Interest , 3 vols, eds. G. D. Huncke and H. F. Sennholz (1884-1912, 1959); 2. Gesammelte Schriften , 10 vols, ed. F. X. Weiss (1924-6); 3. Shorter Classics of Eugene von BÜhm-Bawerk (1881-1914, 1962).

Career

One of the greatest figures of the Austrian school, who expanded and reworked Menger's marginal utility theory. His theory of interest, based on the `three reasons' for interest, was his major personal contribution. Other significant influences were Thƒnen and Rae, whose ideas on round about production he developed as an element of his capital theory. This aroused furious controversy with fellow economists, into which he entered enthusiastically, writing almost as much in defence of the theory as in its original formulation. Even today there is less than total agreement as to the meaning and significance of his theory of capital and interest. BÜhm-Bawerk's considerable polemical skills were further demonstrated by The Close of the Marxian System (1896), which remains one of the most powerful attacks on Marxist economics ever written. In his government service he participated in the introduction of a gold currency. His resignation as Minister of Finance came when military expenditure threatened to unbalance the budget.