Some of the greatest thinkers in the history of economic thought have been instrumental in advancing the study of development economics. In this volume, leading scholars are brought together to illuminate this tradition, with particular emphasis on the question of growth and development. Divided into two parts, this collection offers a blend of papers of history of economic thought and development economics, and tries to suggest that classical political economy, that strand of thought which goes from Physiocracy to Smith and to Ricardo and Marx, has a precise vision and indeed a precise model of long term development. This book: examines the influence that has been exerted by both pre-classical and classical thought on modern day development economics; provides a synthetic analysis of the classical vision of growth and development from the mercantilist era to physiocracy; examines Adam Smith's contribution to growth theory; and explores Marxian thinking and ideas and the political developments that gave rise to state functions in post-war theory. Including contributions by well-known authors, such as Eltis, Murphy and Kurz, this significant volume by one of the premier historians of economic thought will be a valuable resource for postgraduates and professionals in the fields of economic history and political economy.