The Theory of Business Enterprise

Veblen has been claimed and rejected both by sociologists and economists as being one of theirs. He enriched and attacked both disciplines, as he did so many others: philosophy, history, social psychology, politics, and linguistics. Because he took all knowledge as necessary and relevant to adequate understanding, Veblen was a holistic analyst of the social process.

First published in 1904, this classic analysis of the U.S. economy has enduring value today. In it, Veblen posited a theory of ...