Battle of methods between the Austrian school of economics and the German historical school as the most important methodological dispute in history of economics

The presented article is concerned with the Methodenstreit between the Austrian School of Economics and the German Historical School in 19th century. The Methodenstreit between the Austrians and Germans is considered the most important methodological dispute in economics. Three main topics of the argument are distinguished: a) dispute concerning a role of induction and deduction in economics, b) dispute about exact or empirical laws in economics and c) dispute about application of methodological individualism or methodological collectivism in economics and other social sciences. The solution of above-mentioned problems is presented by three participants of the Methodenstreit: a) by the most significance representative of the older German Historical School - Wilhelm Roscher, b) by the founder of Austrian School of Economics - Carl Menger and c) by the leader of the younger German Historical School - Gustav Schmoller. The point of departure of this article is methodological pluralism.

Keywords: realistic-empirical orientation of theoretical research, exact orientation of theoretical research, German Historical School, Austrian School of Economics, abstract-deductive method, empirical-inductive method, methodological pluralism