Charles Stanton Devas (26 August 1848 – 6 November 1906) was an Englishpolitical economist.

Charles Stanton Devas
Born	(1848-08-26)26 August 1848 Woodside, Old Windsor, England
Died	6 November 1906(1906-11-06) (aged 58)
Education	Eton College Balliol College, Oxford
Occupation	Political economist
Spouse	Eliza Mary Katherine Ward ​ ​ (m. 1874; died 1889)​
Children	9

Charles Stanton Devas was born inWoodside, Old Windsor on 26 August 1848.^[1] He was educated atEton andBalliol College, Oxford, where he took a first class in the honours School of Law and History. Before proceeding to the university he had been received into theRoman Catholic Church and his subsequent career was entirely devoted to the service of religion. By treating political economy, both in books and lectures, from a definitely Catholic standpoint, he was unusual in his field at the time.^[2]

The Groundwork of Economics (1883), the first work published in his own name (for the translation into English ofHergenröther'sChurch and State was anonymous), attracted considerable attention and was translated into German in 1896 by Walter Kampfe. TheManual of Political Economy (Stonyhurst Philosophical Series), published in 1892 (third edition, 1907), achieved more success, and became a recognised textbook in English-speaking schools andseminaries. In 1886, he publishedStudies in Family Life, a historical inquiry into this branch of economics, with a view to justifying the contention that Christianity is an essential factor in the problem of social well-being. This book was translated into German in 1887 by Paul Maria Baumgarten. In 1895 he published anonymously in London a poetical version of the story of Sintram.^[2]

Besides his books he wrote frequently forThe Dublin Review,The Month, and other periodicals, both English and American, and read papers before The Manchester Statistical Society, TheCatholic Truth Society, and other bodies. A considerable number of his later essays and lectures dealing with contemporary social problems were issued by The Catholic Truth Society in pamphlet form. He was a contributor to theCatholic Encyclopedia. His last book,The Key to the World's Progress, was published in 1906. This, unlike his earlier works, is directly apologetic, being an elaborate defence of the Catholic Church written with a view to meeting the difficulties and questionings of the twentieth century. A popular edition was issued after his death.^[2]

In 1874 he married Eliza Mary Katherine, the daughter of Francis Ridout Ward. She died in 1889, leaving nine children. Devas was a zealous member of theSociety of St. Vincent de Paul, and took a leading part in all Catholic enterprises of his time in England - notably in those which enabled Catholics to frequent universities - and exercised considerable influence over the thought and conduct of English Catholics. He was examiner in Political Economy at theRoyal University of Ireland from 1889 to 1898.^[1][3]

Charles Stanton Devas died on 6 November 1906,^[1] and is buried atSt Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, Mortlake.

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Charles Stanton Devas".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.