Was there any study of economics pre-consumerism?

by prillin101

Before consumerism became widespread, was there any study of economics? If so, what was it like?

DeSoulis

Yes.

Consumerism is generally linked to the rise of industrial production and wasn't a phenomenon (at least outside the upper class) until the late 19th century. Before then you had such figures as Adam Smith, David Hume, Ricardo, Marx, Quesnay, Colbert etc all writing on economics. Adam Smith is considered the defining founding father of modern economics and industrial era economics based much of its premises on the works of Smith and Ricardo.