James Edwin Thorold Rogers

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James Edwin Thorold Rogers (18231890), known as Thorold Rogers, an English economist and Member of Parliament, was born at West Meon, Hampshire.[1] He deployed historical and statistical methods to analyze some of the key economic and social questions in Victorian England. As an advocate of free trade and social justice he distinguished himself from some others within the English Historical School.[2]

[edit] Life

Rogers was educated at King's College London and Magdalen Hall, Oxford. After taking a first-class degree in 1846, he received his MA in 1849 from Magdalen and was ordained. A High Church man, he was curate of St. Paul's in Oxford, and acted voluntarily as assistant curate at Headington from 1854 to 1858, until his views changed and he turned to politics. He became the first Tooke Professor of Statistics and Economic Science at King's College London, from 1859 until his death. During this time he also held the Drummond professorship of political economy at All Souls College, Oxford between 1862 and 1867, when Bonamy Price was elected in his stead.[3][4] He was M.P. for Southwark 1880-85 and Bermondsey 1885-86. Rogers also lectured in political economy at Worcester College, Oxford in 1883 and was re-elected Drummond professor in 1888.

For some time the classics were the chief field of his activity. He devoted himself to classical and philosophical tuition in Oxford with success, and his publications included an edition of Aristotle's Ethics (in 1865). Simultaneously with these occupations he had been studying economics. In this he was a friend and follower of Richard Cobden, an advocate for free trade, nonintervention in Europe and an end to imperial expansion, whom he met during his first tenure as Drummond professor. Thorold Rogers was instrumental in obtaining the Clerical Disabilities Relief Act, of which he was the first beneficiary, becoming the first man to legally withdraw from his clerical vows in 1870. His most influential work was the 6-volume History of Agriculture and Prices in England from 1259 to 1795.

[edit] Works

  • A History of Agriculture and Prices in England from 1259 to 1793 (1866–1902)
  • A Complete Collection of the Protests of the Lords: With Historical Introductions, Vol. 1 1624-1741. Oxford, Clarendon Press; London, Macmillan & Co. (1875) on line at[5] ; vol. 2. 1741-1825; vol. 3. 1826-1874.
  • John Bright, Speeches on questions of public policy. Edited by J.E.T.Rogers. London, Macmillan. (1869)
  • Six Centuries of Work and Wages: The History of English Labour 2 vols. London, Swan Sonnenschein (1884) - on line at[6]
  • The Relations of Economic Science to Social and Political Action. London: S. Sonnenschein, (1888).
  • The Economic Interpretation of History London, G.P. Putnam's Sons (1888); T. Fisher Unwin (1909).
  • Holland. London, T. Fisher Unwin; New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons (1889) - on line.[7]
  • The Industrial and Commercial History of England ed. Arthur G. L. Rogers. New York, G. P. Putnam, 1892.
  • Speeches on Questions of Public Policy by Richard Cobden, M.P. 3rd ed., London, T. Fisher Unwin (1908). Preface by Thorold Rogers.[8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/rogers/ Sidney Lee, in Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome, Macmillan. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. (1903).
  2. ^ http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/schools/enghist.htm The English Historical School.
  3. ^ http://oep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/citation/28/3/364 N. B. DeMarchi, "On the Early Dangers of Being Too Political an Economist," Oxford Economic Papers v. 28 no. 3, pp. 364-380
  4. ^ http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0030-7653(197807)2%3A30%3A2%3C310%3ATPEPOR%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P Salim Rashid, "The Price-Rogers Election; Politics or Religion?" Oxford Economic Papers, New Series, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Jul., 1978), pp. 310-312
  5. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=yuD1RxpT4ssC&printsec=titlepage#PPP1,M1 Protests of the Lords, Vol. 1 1624-1741. London, Macmillan (1875)
  6. ^ http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/rogers/sixcenturies.pdf Six Centuries of Work and Wages, on line.
  7. ^ http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Nations_-_Holland Holland, on line.
  8. ^ http://www.econlib.org/LIBRARY/YPDBooks/Cobden/cbdSPP0.html Preface to Richard Cobden's Speeches on Questions of Public Policy, on line.


  • W. J. Ashley, "James E. Thorold Rogers" Political Science Quarterly (1889) pp. 381-407.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edward George Clarke
Marcus Beresford
Member of Parliament for Southwark
2-seat constituency
(with Arthur Cohen)

18801885
Succeeded by
(constituency abolished)
Preceded by
(new constituency)
Member of Parliament for Bermondsey
18851886
Succeeded by
Alfred Lafone