Oikonomos

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Greek philosopher and statesman who wrote Oikonomikos (c. 400 B.C.)

Oikonomos is a word of Ancient Greek origin. From oiko- meaning 'house, household' and nomos- meaning 'rule, law'. The Oikonomos was considered the steward or manager of a household or organization. 

Among Xenophon's many writings was his work: Oikonomikos. This was essentially a guide on how to manage your estate. Xenophon was a student of the philosopher Socrates. Uniquely, he was able to show the practical, everyday benefits of a philosophic education. 

Fast forwarding to the emergence of modern economic thought during the period of Enlightenment, we come across Francis Hutcheson (1694-1746). Hutcheson translated Xenophon's work and published in Latin his Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy, ...Book III, entitled The Principles of Oeconomics and Politics. This Latinized translation is where we get the modern English word for Economics. Hutcheson is also known by his association with one of his students, Adam Smith. Later, Smith would write An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, the most important economic writing in modern history.

For the Ancient Greeks, Oikonomia is the science of household management. From a very micro and practical sense, all households have to be managed. Whether you live on a self-sufficient agrarian estate, or work a modern office job with kids going to school and participating in extracurricular activities. We each have to decide how we acquire and allocate resources to live life as we see fit. The interworking of all the different households in an aggregated form is where we get the global macro economy. 

Let us be your Oikonomos.