Marking Time: Marshall's Search for Narrative Explanatory Coherence

Abstract It is well known that Marshall had great difficulty in organizing his work after the Principles. The promised second volume never came, and for books eventually were published, Industry Trade (1919) Money, Credit, Commerce (1923), was at pains to find right mode of expression research. In introduction Principles, explained reliance on partial equilibrium analysis and, more generally, ceteris paribus reasoning as natural method economist, which diagrams an excellent fit. But already while working Principles moved closer economic history. a letter June 1879 Jevons, he praised Jevons's statistical important step “‘real’-ising” abstract theories economists, follow suit. However, Jevons tried flesh out mathematical relations captured causalities hidden data, started explore different strategy, strategy explains criticism “mathematico-statistics” waning away initial enthusiasm engine discovery. Instead relying method, would examine one causal factor time, searched approach economy encompassing whole. A shorthand this famous epigraph Trade: “The many one, many.” Moving from opposition between theory facts, develop mediates generic categories economist specific events history are domain historian. contrast with embraced incomplete improved by adding factors, explored what article calls narrative how integrate manifold heterogeneous factors into unified whole, thus providing coherence complete chronology events. purpose my contribution issue development substance strategy. This will use Marshall's cartographies time entry point understand take explanation facts