Mujeres economistas de las Islas Británicas (s. XVIII-XIX)

Abstract

In the field of economic history, approaches to the writings of women economists are not frequent. In this document it tries to identify and contextualize within the gender studies the works of women who wrote about political economy, in the period that begins in the mid-eighteenth century and reaches the end of the nineteenth century, especially in the British world. These first writings represent isolated women who are not yet aware of belonging to the group of women economists. The work method is historical-documentary with base on written sources. A classification of economists under a generational and thematic criterion in the period indicated reveals four phases. First, the phase of popularization of political economy, with Jane Marcet and Harriet Martineau, whose work was oriented to the dissemination of classical liberal conceptions according to the exposition of the classical masters, particularly Adam Smith. Then, with Maria Edgeworth and Elizabeth Gaskell, political economy acquires a narrative and social criticism tone. Third, a criticism about the situation of women and the need for deep reforms that break with the historical subjection of women is reached with Harriet Taylor Mill. Finally, the institutionalization of the academic space of the economist woman is proposed, with the example of Mary Paley Marshall. The paper shows a continuous process where the authors progressively develop, the elaboration of traditionally forbidden topics for them, which will constitute a turning point in the historiography of political economy. It is concluded that over time female voices were added to the disciplinary discussion, which raised new perspectives and ways of approach within the economy, modifying their original role as mere disseminators of the works to architects.