Book excerpt: The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive account and reconsideration of the contribution to political economy of Thomas Tooke (1774-1858), classical economist and influential monetary theorist. Its chief purpose is to examine Tooke’s contributions to political economy with the aim of bringing to light its unified nature and its important legacy to contemporary economics. In doing so the book aims to throw new light on monetary analysis within the framework of classical economics. There remains no comprehensive account of Tooke’s contributions that is concerned with showing his lasting and ongoing influence on the development of monetary thought. The book provides an interpretation and analytical study of Tooke’s political economy from the standpoint of the classical tradition. This enables a demonstration of how his constructive contribution throws a new light on monetary thought in this tradition.