This book aims to describe and critically examine how economic thought deals with poverty and the poor, including its causes, consequences, reduction, and abolition.

Mats Lundahl is Professor Emeritus of Development Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden.

Daniel Rauhut is Associate Professor and holds a PhD in Economic History. He works as senior researcher at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu, Finland.

Neelambar Hatti is Professor Emeritus in the School of Economics and Management at Lund University, Sweden.

Introduction: economic thought and poverty; 1 Were good times really that bad? Mercantilist views on poverty and employment; 2 Adam Smith-a champion for the poor!; 3 Malthus and the poor; 4 David Ricardo on poverty; 5 Saving the poor: John Stuart Mill on poverty and the poor; 6 Marx and his followers on poverty; 7 Alfred Marshall, poverty and economic theory: a historical perspective; 8 Knut Wicksell and the causes of poverty: population growth and diminishing returns; 9 Gustav Cassel on poverty: growth, not grants!; 10 Eli Heckscher on poverty: causes and cures