University of Tasmania 
School Of Economics

Dr. William Coleman

Publications

EASY READING (but sometimes sarcastic)

Globalisation: A Theory of the Controversy, Australian Treasury Seminar, February 6, 2002.

•  How anti-globalisation is a substitute ideology for 20th Century losers.

Running Economics Down: Fact and Fantasy in the Presentation of Economists in the Media,
 30^th Annual Conference of Australian Economists 2001. 

• How the Australian media bad mouths economists, adores James Wolfensohn, but finds the Journal of Economic Perspectives, very, very hard to read.

The Seven Pointed Star, Agenda, 8(4), 2001.

• How Canberra is Australia’s substitute monarch for the House of Windsor.  

The Campaign Against Economic Reform, Sydney Papers, 13(3), 2001. 

• How Ignorance is Bliss for some of Australia's most loved public Intellectuals. 
  

Economic Rationalism and its Discontents, Agenda, 6(3) 1999.

• 202 Arguments against reading anything by Bob Ellis.

Rationalism and Anti-Rationalism in the Origins of Economics, The Philosophic Roots of 18^th
Century Economic Thought, Edward Elgar, 1995

This book has been judged by reviewers in these terms: 

1. European Journal of the History of Economic Thought: "He makes excellent use of brief and telling quotations, and almost every page has something to say which will be new to most readers" (Walter Eltis, 1999, pp. 337-340).

 

 2. Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics: "Coleman provides a deep, closely reasoned and wide-ranging deconstruction of [Adam] Smith’s writings with regard to the central topic of this book. He has dealt insightfully with certain conflictual foundations of both 18th century and present day economics... Indeed, Coleman has a quite perceptive and discerning intellect. He brilliantly, if controversially, deconstructs and interprets the history of economic thought in terms of rationalism versus and combined with anti-rationalism" (Warren J. Samuels, volume 7, 
pp. 291-313).

 

 3. The Manchester School: "In this attractive and generally well-written book Coleman traces the clash between rationalism and anti-rationalism in 18th century thought. Coleman concludes this enjoyable book by clearly hinting that confidence in the capacity of economics to discover truth is very easily over-estimated" (Ian Steedman, pp.238-439, 1997).

 

 4. History of Economic Thought Newsletter: "I can strongly recommend this short book to anyone with a serious interest in eighteenth century economics" (Anthony Brewer, 14-15, 1999).

 

 5. History of Economics Review: "This is a scholarly and intelligent book and will be authoritative in its field" (Athol Fitzgibbons, Winter - Summer 1997).

 

In December 1997 the book was reprinted. In 1998 its translation into Japanese was undertaken.

 FORTHCOMING SCHOLARLY BOOKS

Economics and Its Enemies, The story of two centuries of anti-economics, Palgrave, 2002

 The Tasmanian Quartet: Copland, Giblin, Brigden and Wilson. Some Founding Fathers of 

Australian Economic, with Alf Hagger, Ian Castles and Michael Roe, Macleay Press, 2003

POPULAR BOOKS

 Exasperating Calculators: the Rage Against Economic Rationalism and the Campaign against Australian Economists (with Alf Hagger), Macleay Press, 2001.

This book has been judged by a reviewer in these terms:

"This interesting, well written and perceptive book deserves a wide circulation in Australia and even beyond" (David Henderson, former Reith Lecturer and British ambassador to the OECD, Dialogue: The journal of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, 2001) .

 Money and Finance in Australia (with Bruce Felmingham), Irwin, December 1994.

This book has been judged by a reviewer in these terms:

"As the backbone for a good course in money and banking ... this book is a gem" (Professor Ian Harper, Economic Record, volume 71, p. 412, 1995) .

 "The Seven Pointed Star", Agenda, 8, 2001.

"Is it Possible that an Independent Central Bank is Impossible? The Case of the Australian Note Issue Board, 1920-1924", Journal of Money Credit and Banking, 33, no3, August 2001, 729-738.

"The Significance of John Locke's Medical Studies for his Economic Thought, History of Political Economy, 32(4), 711-731, Winter 2000.

"A Brief History of the Australian Notes Issue Board", The Cato Journal, 18, no. 3, Winter 1999.

"Economic Rationalism and Its Discontents", Agenda, 6(3), 1999, 271-277.

"When Political Economy Crossed the Sea: An Unpublished Paper by Maupertuis on Bimetallism", History of Political Economy, 31, no. 2, Summer 1999 (with David Beeson).

"Should We Wait to Grow Out of Unemployment? The Lessons of a Neoclassical Calibration Analysis", Economic Record, 74, June 1998.

"How Theory Came to English Classical Economics", Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 42, 

May 1996, pp207-28.

"The Missing Fisher Effect: A Theory with Some Tests using UK Data", The International Journal of Economics and Finance , 2, 1993.

"Harrod's Model and the Multiplier-Accelerator Model: Two Sides of the Same Coin?", Metroeconomica , 42 3/1992, pp 199-211.

"Concord and Discord Amongst New Zealand Economists: The Results of an Opinion Survey", New Zealand Economics Papers , 26, 1/1992, pp 41-81.

"The New Deal's New Gold Policy: A Case Study in the Power of (Old) Ideas", Australian History of Economics Review, 17, Winter 1992, pp 199-211.

"The Defect in Ricardo's 95 Percent Labour Theory of Value", Australian Economic Papers, 29, June 1990, pp 101-106.

Wicksell on Technological Change and Real Wages", History of Political Economy, 17, Fall 1985, 

pp 355 - 366.

"Peak Load Pricing in the Channel Tunnel", Journal of Transport Economics and Policy , 16, September 1982 (with Gordon Mills), pp 267 - 276.

"Wicksell and the Akerman Axe Model: A Re-examination", Australian Economic Papers, 

December 1983, pp 467 ?476.

"Economics and its Doppelg?ger", Izvestia RGPU im. A. I. Herzena, 2001.

 "The International Architecture (Institutions &Policy): International Economics and Finance", in the UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems, (forthcoming).

"The Strange Laissez Faire of Alfred Russel Wallace: The Connection Between Natural Selection and Political Economy Reconsidered", Darwinism and Evolutionary Economics, edited by John Laurent and John Nightingale, Edward Elgar (2001).

"The Significance of John Locke’s Medical Studies for the History of Economic Thought", in Economics and the Doctors, PD Groenewegen, Routledge, 2001.

"The Current State of Anti-Economics", in The Current State of Economic Science, S.P. Dahiya (ed.), Jan Tinbergen Institute of Development Planning, 1999.

BOOK REVIEWS

 *"A Treatise on the Nature of Wealth, Money and Taxation", (by P. Boisguillebert) , translated and edited by PD Groenewegen, in History of Economics Review, 32, 106, 2000.

* "Asian Contagion. The Causes and Consequences of a Financial Crisis" (edited by Karl R. Rogers), Asia Pacific Economic Literature Review, 1999, 13(2), 62-3.

* "The Myth of Adam Smith (by Salim Rashid)", History of Economics Review, 29, Winter, 1999, 142-44.

*"Say’s Law and the Keynesian Revolution (by Steven Kates)", History of Economics Review, 29, winter, 1999, 145-6.

"Riches and Poverty. An Intellectual History of Classical Economics", (by David Winch) Economic Record, 74, June 1998, 198-9.

 "Marginalism and Socialism, 1870-1930", (ed. by Ian Steedman) Review of Political Economy, (United States) , 10, no2. 1998 , 251-2.

 "Kondratiev and the Dynamics of Economic Development" (by Vincent Barnett), History of Economic Ideas, 1998, 6(3).

* "The Rules of the Game", (by Ronald Mackinnon) Australian Economic HistoryReview, 

(Australia), 37, no3. 1997.

 * "Currency Convertability",(ed. by J.B. De Macedo) Australian Economic History Review, 

(Australia), 37, no3. 1997.

 * "Monetary Theory" , (N Cencini), Southern Economic Journal, (United States), January 1997.

 * "William Petty and the Origins of Classical Economics", (Tony Aspromourgas), Economic Record, (Australia), 72, December 1996.

* "The Legacy of Hicks: His Contributions to Economic Analysis", (edited by H. Hageman and O.F. Hamouda), Economic Record, (Australia), 72, September 1996, pp 304-6.

* "A Modern Guide to Macroeconomics", (by Brian Snowden et. al.), Economic Record (Australia), 71, December 1995, pp 393-4.

* "Demand and Exchange in Economic Analysis", (by John Creedy), Economic Record (Australia), 70, March 1994, pp 99-100.

* "The Management of Risk", (edited by I Harper et all), Economic Record (Australia), 69, June 1993, 71, pp 209 - 210.

"Lydia and Maynard: The Letters of Lydia Lopokova and John Maynard Keynes" (edited by M. Keynes et al), History of Political Economy (United States), 24, 1992, pp 540-542.

"Conceptual Anomalies in Economics and Statistics" (by LG Neuberg), Journal of Applied Economics (United Kingdom), 7, 1992, pp 218-219.

* "Developments in Australian Monetary Economics" (edited by C Kearney et all), Economic Record (Australia), 68, June 1992, pp 189-190.

"A Market Theory of Money" (by J Hicks), Southern Economic Journal (United States), 58, January 1992, pp 826 - 828.

"Selling Hope: State Lotteries in America" (by Clotfelter and Cooke), Economic Record (Australia), 67, December 1991, pp 360 - 361.

"Chaotic Economics Dynamics" (by R Goodwin), Contributions to Political Economy (United Kingdom), November 1991.

"Economics and Sociology, Redefining Their Boundaries: Conversations with Economists and Sociologists" (by R Swedenborg) , American Journal of Economics and Sociology (United States), 50, October 1991, pp 389 - 390.

* "Financial Markets, Interest Rates and Monetary Economics" (by J Juttner) , Economic Analysis and Policy (Australia), 21, September 1991, pp 235 - 236.

"The Politics of Progress: The Origins and Development of the Commercial Republic, 1600-1835"

(by H Caton), Southern Economic Journal (United States), 58, July 1991, pp 282 - 283.

"Horizontalists and Verticalists: The Macroeconomics of Credit Money" (by BS Moore), Economic Record (Australia), 66, May 1989, pp 67 - 69.

* = a review solicited by the journal’s editor.

 "Wicksell and the Akerman Axe Model: A Re-examination" and "Wicksell and Technical Change and Real Wages", see above, reprinted in Blaug M (ed) Knut Wicksell (1951-1926), Edward Elgar, 1992.

"Business Investment as an Automatic Stabiliser" Economics Department of the University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1997-03.

 "Mundell-Fleming: A Criticism, or, The Multiplier Liveth", Economics Department of the University 

of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1996-04.

"The Australian Notes Issue Board, 1920-1924. An Experiment with an Independent Monetary Authority". University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1996-03.

"How Theory Came to Classical Economics", University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1994-12

 "Was Ricardo the First Austrian Capital Theorist?"University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1993-08.

"The Effects of Population Growth on Living Standards and Its Distribution: the Lessons of a Neoclassical Model", University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1993-01.

"The Non-neutrality of Money: Some Empirical Corroboration from Four Countries and Two Centuries", University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1992-02.

"The Missing Fisher Effect: A Theory with Some Tests using UK Data", University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1992-03.

"The New Deal's New Gold Policy: A Case Study in the Power of (Old) Ideas", University of 

Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1992-04.

"Concord and Discord Amongst New Zealand Economists: The Results of an Opinion Survey", University of Tasmania Discussion Paper, 1991-08.

"Harrod's Growth Model: An Illumination using the Multiplier-Accelerator Model", VUW Graduate School of Business and Government Management Working Paper, 5/90.

"Monetarist and Keynesian Theories of the Price Level: Some Tests using a Century of British Data", Victoria University of Wellington Economics Discussion Paper, No 61, 1989.

"The Relevance of World and Domestic Monetary Aggregates to the Domestic Price Level: An Examination using a Century of UK Data", Victoria University of Wellington Money and Finance Discussion Paper, No 3, 1989.

"Interest Rates and Expected Inflation in an Open Economy: A Theory and Some Tests with UK Data", Victoria University of Wellington Money and Finance Discussion Paper, No 56, 1988.

"The Relationship of Interest Rates to Expectations of Inflation and Depreciation", University of 

Exeter Working Paper, No 88/02.

"Unemployment Benefits in the 1930's and the 1980's", Reserve Bank of Australia Discussion

Paper, No 8303.

CONFERENCE, SEMINAR AND LECTURE PRESENTATIONS

Conference and Seminars

"Running Economists Down: Perceptions and Reality in the Representation of Economists in the Australian Media", 30^th Conference of Economists, University of Western Australia, 24 September 2001.

"The Tasmanian Quartet, Copland, Giblin, Brigden and Wilson: Their Tasmanian Years", (on behalf 

of Alf Hagger), 14^th Conference of the History of Economic Thought Society of Australia, University 

of Tasmania, 11 July 2001.

"Copland and Brigden: Their Tasmanian Labours" (on behalf of Alf Hagger), 14^th Conference of the History of Economic Thought Society of Australia, University of Tasmania, 11 July 2001.

"Exasperating Calculators: The Rage over Economic Rationalism and the campaign against Australian economists", Reserve Bank of Australia, 3 June 2001.

"The Impact of Technological Change on the Demand for Labour: Estimates for the G7 Countries and Australia", The Australian Macroeconomics Workshop, University of Queensland, Queensland, 28 April 2000.

"The Impact of Technological Change on the Demand for Labor in the G7 and Australia: An Empirical Investigation", Department of Economics, University of Tasmania, 24 March 2000.

"Anti-Economics", Department of Economics, Queen Mary College, 27 May 1999.

"How Rational Expectations Slams the Brakes on the Multiplier Accelerator", Department of Economics, University of Sheffield, 26 May 1999.

"Anti-Economics", Department of Economics, Duke University, April 8 1999.

"What Are the Values of Economists?", School of Economics and Finance, University of Tasmania, 28 August 1998.

"Can We Grow Out of Unemployment? The Lessons of a Neoclassical Analysis", 26th Australian Conference of Economists, University of Tasmania, September 1997.

"Can We Grow Out of Unemployment? The Lessons of a Neoclassical Analysis", 2nd Australian Macroeconomics Workshop, University of New South Wales, 4 April 1997.

"The Long Run Benefits of a Shift to a Consumption Tax. How Long is the Long Run?", 25th Australian Conference of Economists, Australian National University, 25 September 1996.

"Business Investment as an Automatic Stabiliser", 25th Australian Conference of Economists, Australian National University, 24 September 1996.

"The Classical Theoretical Method", Economics Department, Murdoch University, 11 September 1996.

"The Australian Notes Issue Board, 1920-1924", Economics Department, University of Western Australia, 12 September 1996.

 "Adam Smith and his Impartial Synthesis", Economics Department, Curtin University, 

12 September 1996.

 "Business Investment as an Automatic Stabiliser", Economics Department, University of Tasmania, 17 May 1996.

"Business Cycles and the Rational Expectations Multiplier-Accelerator Model", First Australian Macroeconomics Workshop, University of Melbourne, 10 April 1996.

"The Commonwealth Notes Issue Board, 1920-1924: An Experiment in Independent Monetary Policy", Economic History Department, Australian National University, November 3 1995.

 "How Theory Came to English Classical Economics", Economics Department, Australian National University, September 14 1995.

 "Business Cycles and Full employment in the Multiplier Accelerator Model with Rational Expectations", Economics Program: Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, August 18 1995.

"How Theory Came to English Classical Economics", Australian History of Economic Thought Conference, University of Queensland, July 1995.

‘Leibniz and the Brief Life of Proto Neoclassical Economics? Australian History of Economic 

Thought Conference, University of Queensland, July 1995.

 "How Theory Came to English Classical Economics", Economics Department, University of Tasmania, September 1994.

 "Rationalism and Anti-Rationalism in the Origins of Economics", Department of Philosophy, University of Tasmania, 20 October 1993.

"The Effects of Population Growth in Living Standards: The Lessons of a Neoclassical Model", 

21st Conference of Economists, Perth, 29 September 1993.

"The Effects of Population Growth in Living Standards: The Lessons of a Neoclassical Model", University of Melbourne, 28 July, 1993.

"The Effects of Population Growth on Living Standards: The Lessons of a Neoclassical Model", Flinders University of South Australia, 6 May, 1993.

"The Effects of Population Growth on Living Standards: The Lessons of a Neoclassical Model", University of Tasmania, 19 March 1993.

"The Non-Neutrality of Money: Some Corroboration from Four Countries and Two Centuries", World Congress of the International Economics Association, Moscow, August 1992.

"Irrationalist, Instrumentalist and Uniformitarian: Some Tendencies in Enlightenment Economics", Economics Department - University of Tasmania, 4 June 1992.

"Irrationalist, Instrumentalist and Uniformitarian: Some Tendencies in Enlightenment Economics", 21st Australian Conference of Economists, Melbourne, July 1992.

"Concord and Discord Amongst New Zealand Economists: Some Indications from an Opinion Survey", Economics Department - University of Tasmania, 15 August 1992.

"The Missing Fisher Relation: A Theory with Some Tests using UK Data", University of Melbourne, 

12 November 1991.

"Ricardo on the Injurious Effect of Machinery: A Rebuttal", 20th Australian Conference of Economists, Hobart, 2 October 1991.

"The Non-Neutrality of Money: Empirical Corroboration from Two Centuries and Four Countries", Reserve Bank of Australia, Sydney, 27, September 1991.

"Consensus and Discord Amongst New Zealand Economists: Some Indications from an Opinion Survey", New Zealand Conference of Economists, Lincoln University, 26 August 1991.

"The Gold Standard on the Booze: Roosevelt and his Professors, 1933-1934", History of Economic Thought Society of Australia Conference, Monash University, 3 July 1991.

"The Non-Neutrality of Money: Empirical Evidence from Two Centuries and Four Countries", New Zealand Conference of Economists, University of Auckland, 22 August 1990.

"The Gold Standard on the Booze: Roosevelt and his Professors, 1933-1934", Victoria University of Wellington Economic History Group, 2 July 1990.

"Are Men and Women Paid Their Marginal Products? A Framework for Empirical Evaluation, with a New Zealand Illustration", Victoria University of Wellington Economics Group, 2 May 1990.

"Do Economists Make Any Difference? A Study in the Power and Powerlessness of Economic Ideas", University of Sydney Economics Department, 23 February 1990.

 "Monetarist and Keynesian Theories of Inflation: Some Tests", Victoria University of Wellington Economics Group, 1 March 1989.

LECTURES

"Exasperating Calculators: The Rage over Economic Rationalism and the campaign against Australian economists", Institute of Public Affairs, 3 June 2001.

"Economic Reform", Sydney Institute, July 3 2001.

"The Regulation of Financial Markets"; 4 Lectures to the Australian Federal Treasury, 27/28 

October 1998, as part of the 1998 Refresher School for Treasury (supplied by the ANU).

Invited Speaker in the Panel Discussion, "What Questions Should Macroeconomic Research Address?", First Australian Macroeconomics Workshop, University of Melbourne, 9 April 1996

Invited Speaker at Centre for the Study of the History of Economic Thought Workshop, 

"Economics and Time", University of Sydney, 12 November 1993.

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