Welfare Economics in English Utopias, from Francis Bacon to Adam Smith

First edition: an elegant monograph on utopia.

This thesis on the development of economics in the English Utopia gives priority to key works such as Bacon's New Atlantis, but also includes chapters on less studied works such as Hartlib's Macaria and Mandeville's Fable of the Bees. In his attractive introduction to the subject, Fuz delineates the economic utopia, whilst alluding to the intangible impetus that utopian writing has provided. Thus, whilst critical of many of the individual works, throughout he is committed to his general statement: 'Utopia is a 'state of mind' and is necessary as an intellectual attitude, as a stimulus to further development or action; and it is always corrective of existing society.' Using this sophisticated sense of the utopia as stimulus rather than manifesto, he concludes 'In spite of their theoretical inconsistencies, the Utopians must occupy a permanent place in economic history and economic science may rightly be proud of their achievement.' Despite this, Gibson is outraged, claiming that Fuz 'makes numerous errors in dates and facts and is too ready to label as 'a utopia' works which are merely pretentious schemes for employing the poor.'