Carl Menger

Carl Menger von Wolfensgrün ( MENG-ghər; German: [ˈmɛŋɐ]; 28 February 1840 – 26 February 1921) was an Austrian economist who contributed to the marginal theory of value. Menger is considered the founder of the Austrian school of economics.

In building his marginalist approach, Menger rejected many established views of classical economics. He directly disputed the view of the "German school" that economic theory could be derived from history. Departing from the cost-of-production theory of value—the prevailing theory of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Karl Marx—Menger's subjective theory of value emphasized role of mutual agreement in deriving prices. Although he had few readers outside Vienna until late in his career, disciples including Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk and Friedrich von Wieser brought his theories into wider readership. Friedrich Hayek wrote that the Austrian school's "fundamental ideas belong fully and wholly to Carl Menger."

Menger began his career as a lawyer and business journalist, during which he saw inconsistencies between existing economic theory and how buyers reasoned. After formal training in economics, he taught at the University of Vienna from 1872 to 1903. He became a private tutor and confidant to Rudolf von Habsburg, the crown prince of Austria.