Beyond the Sonderweg: defining political economy in 19th-century Germany

Abstract

The comprehension of German political economy in the 19th century has been influenced by the so called Sonderweg thesis, which emphasises German “exceptionalism”. This interpretation points to the presence of an alleged derogatory influence of the Historical School, intertwined with an advocacy of statism and economic nationalism. Here, we show that the literature has questioned this sort of interpretation and collaborate to this renewed perspective. We examine definitions of political economy presented in German textbooks during the 19th century, to consubstantiate the claim that there was a coexistence of perspectives in German political economy, rather than a unanimous “exceptional” approach.