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The Forgotten Godmother of Economic Literature

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Based on the episode description, not a full transcript. Source evidence retrieved 23/10/2026, 08:33:25 UTC.

Briefings

This podcast episode highlights Maria Edgeworth, a Regency-era novelist who smuggled economic concepts like rent seeking and productive labor into her fiction, influencing a generation of readers. Jeanna Smialek argues for her inclusion in economic history, noting her debates with Malthus and Ricardo, and her use of novels to educate the public on Smith's theories. The episode covers her biography and the impact of the Irish potato famine on economic thought, though specific dates and exact numbers are not detailed in the source.

Key points

• Maria Edgeworth smuggled economic concepts like rent seeking and productive labor into her Regency-era novels, influencing a generation of readers.
• Jeanna Smialek argues for Edgeworth's inclusion in economic history due to her debates with Malthus and Ricardo and her use of novels to educate the public.

Context

The podcast explores the intersection of literature and economics, specifically how a Regency novelist influenced economic theory through her works. The episode focuses on the historical debate regarding Edgeworth's significance in economic history.

Limitations

The source provides no specific dates, numerical data, or detailed biographical information beyond the publication year of Smith's book. Coverage is limited to the podcast episode's discussion of Edgeworth's influence and Smialek's argument for her historical inclusion.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 23/10/2026, 08:54:18 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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