Geography and the critique of mainstream economic theory: the legacy of J.A. Hobson

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the work of John Atkinson Hobson (1858–1940) in political economy, emphasising his geographical perspective. Hobson, known mainly for his theory of imperialism and as a heretic in economics, was one of the first to discern the uneven geographical dynamics of capitalism and the socio-economic implications of accumulation, considering all the interrelated spatial scales, from the local to international. The main argument is that he applied a form of geographical-historical analysis, and thus, he could be acknowledged as a pioneer in spatial-economic thought or in what geographers today call the geographical political economy approach.

Keywords:

• J.A. Hobson
• history of spatial economic thought
• economic geography
• political economy
• uneven development

JEL CODES:

• A13
• B30
• B40

Acknowledgment

This research was not supported by any funding or grant awarding bodies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).