One of the most important reference works on economics and political science to be published in 19th-century America, the "Cyclopaedia of Political Economy, Political Science and the Political History of the United States" also shows how strong was the influence of the French and German historical schools in American thought. The editor of this work, John J. Lalor, played an important role in spreading the influence of these schools, both through the cyclopaedia and his prolific work as a translator of major German thinkers. Eminent continental contributors include Frederic Bastiat, Maurice Block, Ambrose Clement, Charles Coquelin and Joseph Garnier. However, the scope of the work also includes much of the best of British economic thinking of the day, as well as some radical contributions from America. Henry George, Henry Demarest Lloyd, J.R. McCulloch, T.E. Cliffe Leslie and Henry Fawcett are among the contributors. In this cyclopaedia, Lalor has attempted to draw together the best and newest thinking about his subjects from the time.
It should be seen as being at the cutting edge of late 19th-century political and economic thought in America, and as a monument to one of the most important movements of the time.