Conversations on Political Economy

Published at a pivotal moment in the economic development of Britain, Conversations on Political Economy (1816) influenced a generation of economists, politicians and intellectuals. Employing her trademark format of dialogues between Mrs. Bryan and her pupil Caroline, Marcet introduces readers to theories surrounding property, population, and the 'condition of the poor'. Despite a target audience of young women, there is little evidence of feminine sentimentality, nor does the author's commitment to female education prevent her from propounding challenging, often controversial arguments; an approach which won her admiration. As one of her avid readers, Anne Romilly wrote, 'those, who like me know very little ... are delighted with the knowledge they have acquired'. In fact, the first edition was so well received that a second was called for before the author had time to make corrections. Marcet had become, as one of her obituarists later put it, the 'instructress of a generation'.