Carl Menger’s Liberalism Revisited

Was Carl Menger a radical supporter of economic liberalism like the later members of the Austrian School of Economics? This is still an open question, even among scholars deeply involved with the study of the Austrian School in general and Menger in particular. There are good reasons for this: Menger’s main works were in the fields of economic theory and methodology, published in 1871 and 1883 respectively. Although we have some other small pamphlets and papers dealing with specific topics, Menger did not have many opportunities to publish his works on economic policy while he was alive. Historians of economic thought are compelled to garner assorted comments that are scattered throughout the various papers and books that Menger did publish during his lifetime.