"The Worldly Philosophers is one of the bestselling economics books of all time. For more than half a century, it has not only enabled us to see more deeply into our history but helped us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner unearths a theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas-- namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works."--Back cover.