Josef Kaizl (10 June 1854, Volyně – 19 August 1901, Myslkovice) was a Czech professor, economist, and politician in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was a member of the Imperial Council, and also Cisleithanian finance minister (1898–1899). Kaizl was leading Czech liberal politician, known for his moderate attitudes and seeking of various means to strengthen autonomous position of Czech lands within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He served as the first Czech economics teacher at the Charles University. His close friends and collaborators were Jan Gebauer and Tomáš Masaryk (who later became the first president of the Czechoslovak Republic). Early life and education Born into the family of Eduard Kaizl, controller of inland revenue, and a German speaking mother. He was the oldest of seven siblings. Schooling began in a German-language school in Rumburk, northern Bohemia. After transferring schools he was sent to his aunt in Prague. He studied German and later Czech during parochial school at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. In 1863 he began his high school studies there. He studied law at the Charles University in Prague (1871-1875), while in between the years 1874-1875 he underwent mandatory military service in the military supply corps. in Prague. He later went on to study economics at the University of Strasbourg (1877) under Gustav von Schmoller and Georg Friedrich Knapp. He would become a large proponent of the Schmoller historical method, and spread it through his writings. In 1879 he started as an assistant professor in economics at Charles University. He lectured both in Czech and German. Josef Kaizl, alongside Albín Bráf, was later appointed as the first Czech economist of Charles University. In 1888 he became a full professor. Political activities In the Imperial Council elections of 1885 he won a seat representing the Old Czechs. The party, however, broke opinions and he announced his resignation from the Council in 1887. After 1887, he collaborated closely with Tomáš Masaryk on expanding the Realist philosophical movement. Though he would later become a critic of some of Masaryk's views, specifically Masaryk's belief that Czech political reform and revival had its roots in the ideals of Czech religious reformation. Kaizl viewed Masaryk's theory as illiberal and too religiously focused. Kaizl believed Czech national revival derived its true roots from the French and American Revolutions. Young Czech politician In 1890 alongside other realists (including Masaryk) he joined the Young Czechs. In the same year he