RAU, KARL HEINRICH (1792-187o), German political economist, was born on Nov. 29, 1792, at Erlangen, where he studied at the university, of which he subsequently became a professor (1818). In 1822 he was called to the chair of political economy at Heidelberg where the rest of his life was spent in teaching and research. He took some part, however, in public affairs: in 1837 he was nominated a member of the first chamber of the duchy of Baden; in 1845 he became a privy councillor, and in 1851 he was one of the commissioners sent to England on the part of the Zollverein to study the Industrial Exhibition. A result of this mission was his account of the agricultural imple ments exhibited at London (Die landwirthschafthchen Geriithe der Londoner Ausstellung, 1853). He was elected a correspond ing member of the French Institute in 1856. He died at Heidel berg on March 18, 1870.
His principal work is the Lehrbuch der politischen okonomie (1826-37), an encyclopaedia of the economic knowledge of his time, written with a special view to the guidance of practical men. The three volumes are respectively occupied with (I) politi• etohomy, ffrierly so called, or the theory of wealth, (2) administrative science (V olkswirtschaftpolitik) and (3) finance.
The two last he recognizes as admitting of variations in accord ance with the special circumstances of different countries, whilst the first is more akin to the exact sciences, and is in many respects capable of being treated, or at least illustrated, mathematically. This threefold division marks his close relation to the older Ger man cameralistic writers. The book has passed through many editions; in that of 1870 by Adolf Wagner it was transformed into a new book.
His most important works are his early prize essay, Ober das Zunftwesen (1815) ; Ansichten der Volkswirtschaft (1821) ; Malthus and Say (1821) ; • Grundriss der Kameralwissenschaft oder Wirtschaits lehre (1823) ; die Kameralwissenschaft (1825) ; fiber die Land wirtschaft der Rheinpfalz (1830) ; and Geschichte des Pftuges (1845). Rau founded in 1834 the Archly der politischen Okonomie and Polizeiwissenschaft, in which he wrote a number of articles, after wards issued in separate form.