Francis Edgeworth: A Centenary Celebration of an Oxford Economist
On 13 February 2026, the University of Oxford marked the centenary of the death of Francis Ysidro Edgeworth, one of the most original and influential figures in the history of Economics. Edgeworth held the Drummond Professorship of Political Economy at Oxford and was a Fellow of All Souls College. He is celebrated for pioneering the use of mathematical methods in Economics, developing utility theory, and introducing concepts - such as indifference curves and the Edgeworth box - that remain at the core of microeconomics today.
To honour Edgeworth’s legacy, this special two-hour event was designed for a broad economics audience, from interested undergraduates and graduate students to faculty and friends of the subject. The event will recognised Edgeworth’s central role in the profession: as founding editor of the Economic Journal, the journal of the Royal Economic Society, he shaped economic discourse for 35 years and helped to establish standards that still influence the field.
The programme featured four short talks highlighting different dimensions of Edgeworth’s life and work. Prof Sir John Vickers reflected on Edgeworth as an Oxford figure and theorist of monopoly. Prof John Sutton explored Edgeworth’s contributions to oligopoly theory. Prof Mary Morgan discussed Edgeworth in the context of her work on models in economics, and Prof Kevin O’Rourke examined Edgeworth’s insights on trade and international economics. Together, these perspectives will offer an accessible yet intellectually rich introduction to Edgeworth’s ideas and their lasting impact.
