This volume investigates the evolution of economic thought and the methodological practices used to document the history of the discipline within British and American academic traditions. The authors, all prominent scholars in the history of economics, compile a series of essays that examine how economists have interpreted their own intellectual lineage. By analyzing the shift from internalist to externalist historical accounts, the text provides a framework for understanding the development of economic theory as a social and institutional process.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the history of economic thought, often citing it for its rigorous archival approach. Scholars frequently note the academic density of the prose, making it a specialized resource for researchers and graduate students in the field.