With development of human knowledge it became clear that it is necessary to study not only laws of the nature, but also specifics of interaction of people within society. Thus, the economy became science, worthy study too.
Instruction
1. For the first time Ancient Greek philosophers tried to formulate the principles of the economic theory. Platon and Aristotle and also Xenophon argued on the principle of exchange of some goods on others or on money as on the basis of the economy. Also in a basis of human activity the principle of usefulness was put.
2. Platon gave a lot of place in the work about the perfect state it to economic functioning. So, the state of Platona had to be based on slaveholding. Ancient Roman thinkers carried on the Greek tradition. However at them the ideas about a possibility of the alternative device of economy, for example, without slavery and with free work began to arise.
3. The separate economic ideas began to be formed in science only during Modern times. At the beginning of the 17th century there was a first economic doctrine which was based on a research of real economy - mercantilism. Many political figures of Western Europe of the 17th century were guided by policy of mercantilism. This doctrine underlined that the richness of the state is provided and maintained by positive trade balance - while export exceeds import, to the country the considerable inflow of the capitals which provides welfare is possible. However it should be noted narrowness of the theory of mercantilism as it considered only trade, forgetting about industrial and agrarian production.
4. Formation of economy as sciences continued also in the 18th century. Thanks to such scientists as Francois Quene, economy as science became is ready more extensively, having included in a subject of study not only exchange, but also production work. But only in the 19th century science the economy became really multiple-factor, having included studying specifics of exchange, production of goods and services, working conditions and its cost and also the policy of the state which could have serious impact on economic processes by introduction of taxes and customs duties.