Political and Social Thought: ‘A Youthful Tendency to Socialism’; Changing Views on the Women’s Issue; and a Taste for Advocacy and Occasional Controversy

This chapter is devoted to examining Marshall’s activities and ideas on political and social topics either closely related to his economics, to his position as Professor of Economics at Cambridge or to his behaviour as academic in advancing certain causes. It also provides examples of his willingness to engage in controversy when the subject, in his view, warranted it. As mentioned at the start of Chapter 5, this chapter gives an opportunity as well to examine a miscellany of Marshall’s activities while being Professor at Cambridge. These are of interest in grasping aspects of his economics, even if they do not directly relate to his activities as teacher and writer explored in the two previous chapters. The length of the title reflects the nature of this chapter. It is a convenient vehicle for bringing together some important episodes in Marshall’s life associated with his role as Britain’s leading academic economist while being Professor at Cambridge.