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…Economics A is required for admittance into every advanced course, although there are a few which allow it to be taken at the same time. It is by no means too difficult for Freshmen, may be taken by them with the consent of the instructor, and concentrators urge all Freshmen who think they may go into the field to take this course during their first year. This will enable them to begin taking advanced courses their Sophomore year, as History and Government concentrators do, and thereby allow a much wider range of study during their last two years, both in courses and in tutorial. History 1 and Government 1 are both required for concentration in Economics. The former should be taken Freshman year….
Source: Articles on Fields of Concentration Harvard Crimson, May 31, 1938.
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SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS FOR ECONOMICS A
Harvard University
1938-39
This bibliography has been prepared by members of the Economics A staff to supplement the assigned reading on the subject matter of the course. A division has been made in the reading: Part A listings are works and selections of a more general character, while those of Part B include more specialized or more advanced material. Students will also find the Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences a valuable source of information on the various topics.
Introduction and Historical Background.
A
Johnson, E. A. J., Some Origins of the Modern Economic World.
Kaempfert, W., A Popular History of American Inventions (2 vols.).
Kirkland, E. C., A History of American Life, pp. 246-339.
Lipson, E., The Economic History of England, Vol. I, pp. 347-390.
Lynd, R. and H., Middletown; and Middletown in Transition.
Mantoux, P. The Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, pp. 193-346.
Myers, G., History of Great American Fortunes.
See, Henri, Modern Capitalism.
Usher, A. P., The Industrial History of England, pp. 314-366.
Warshow, H. T., Representative Industries in the United States.
B
Bober, M. M., Karl Marx’s Interpretation of History.
Cole, A. H., The American Wool Manufacture, pp. 86-136, 219-244.
Fraser, C.E., and Doriot, G. F., Analyzing Our Industries.
Kautsky, Karl, The Class Struggle, pp. 7-87.
Usher, A. P. History of Mechanical Inventions, pp. 1-31.
II. Institutions.
A
Adams, C. F., Chapters on the Erie.
Arnold, T., Folklore of Capitalism.
Berle, A., and Means, G. C., The Modern Corporation and Private Property.
Hunt, B., History of Joint-Stock Corporation in England.
Laski, H. J., Rise of Liberalism.
National Resources Committee, Recent Technical Changes.
Robinson, E. A. G., Structure of Competitive Industry.
Strachey, John, The Coming Struggle for Power.
B
Dewing, A. S., Corporation Finance.
Hammond, J. L., and B., Rise of Modern Industry.
Fortune Magazine, Nov. 1936, “The United States Steel Corporation.”
Steffens, L., Autobiography.
Tarbell, Ida, History of the Standard Oil Company.
Twentieth Century Fund, Big Business, Its Growth and Its Place.
III. Money, Banking and International Finance.
A
Bradford, F. A., Money and Banking.
Burgess, W. R., The Reserve Banks and the Money Market (1936 ed.).
Ely, R. T., Outlines of Economics.
Feaveryear, A. E., The Pound Sterling.
King, W. T. C., History of the London Discount Market.
Meade, J. E., An Introduction to Economic Analysis and Policy, Parts I and V.
Meyers, M. G., The New York Money Market.
Moulton, H. G., The Financial Organization of Society.
Robertson, D. H., Money.
White, H., Money and Banking (Historical Sections)
B
Catterall, R. C. H., The Second Bank of the United States.
Currie, L., The Supply and Control of Money in the United States.
Federal Reserve Bulletins and Annual Reports.
Gayer, Arthur, Monetary Policy and Economic Stabilisation; Lessons in Monetary Experience.
Hawtrey, R. G., The Art of Central Banking.
Keynes, J. M., A Treatise on Money, Vol. I, Chs. 2, 9-14.
IV. Value Theory.
A
Burns, A. R., The Decline of Competition, Chs. I, III, V, VIII.
Gray, Alexander, Development of Economic Doctrine.
Henderson, H. D., Supply and Demand, Chs. I-V.
Marshall, A., Principles of Economics, Book I, Chs. I, II, III; Book IV, Chs. III, XIII; Book V, Chs. III, V.
Meade, J. E., Introduction to Economic Analysis and Policy, Part II, Chs. I-IV.
B
Cassels, John, “Law of Variable Proportions,” Explorations in Economics, pp. 223-236.
Chamberlin, E., Theory of Monopolistic Competition.
Crum, Leonard, Rudimentary Mathematics for Economists and Statisticians (Quarterly Journal of Economics Supplement, May, 1938).
Keynes, J. M., “Alfred Marshall 1842-1924, “ Memorial of Alfred Marshall, A. C. Pigou editor, pp. 1-66.
Mill, J. S., Autobiography.
Robbins, Lionel, The Nature and Significance of Economic Science.
Robinson, Joan. Economics of Imperfect Competition, pp. 1-92.
Smith, Adam, Wealth of Nations, Book I, Chs. I-III.
V. Price Policy and Public Authority.
A
Black, J. D., Agricultural Reform in the United States.
Dennison, H. S., and Galbraith, J. K., Modern Competition and Business Policy.
Ezekiel, M., and Bean, L. H., Economic Bases for the A.A.A.
Hamilton, Walton H., and Others, Price and Price Policies.
Jones, Eliot, Trust Problem in the United States.
Jones, Eliot, and Bigham, T. C., Principles of Public Utilities.
Locklin, D. P., Economics of Transportation.
Mosher, W. E., and Crawford, F. G., Public Utility Regulation.
Lyons, L. S., and Others, The National Recovery Administration.
Nourse, E. G., Davis, J. S., and Black, J. D., Three Years of the A.A.A.
President’s Committee on Industrial Analysis, Report on the N.R.A.
Ripley, W. Z., Main Street and Wall Street.
Seager, H. R., and Gulick, C. A., Jr., Trust and Corporation Problems.
Watkins, M. W., Industrial Combinations and Public Policy.
B
Bauer, J., and Gold, N., Public Utility Valuation.
Cabinet Committee on Cotton Textile Industry, Report, Senate Document 126, 74th Congress, 1st
Daugherty, C. R., de Chazeau, M. G., and Stratton, S. S., Economics of the Iron and Steel Industry.
Wallace, Donald, Market Control in the Aluminum Industry.
Watkins, M. W., Oil: Stabilization or Conservation.
VI. Wages and Population.
A
Adamic, Louis, Dynamite.
Brooks, R., When Labor Organizes.
Carver, T. N., Distribution of Wealth, Ch. IV.
Henderson, H. D., Supply and Demand, Ch. IX.
Hicks, J. R., Theory of Wages, Ch. I-V.
Malthus, Thomas, Principles of Population (2nd).
Marshall, Alfred, Principles of Economics.
Taussig, F. W., Principles of Economics, Vol. II, Chs. 47, 48.
Walsh, J. R., I.O., Industrial Unionism in Action.
Wright, H., Population.
B
Millis, H. A., and Montgomery, R. E., Labor Progress and Some Basic Labor Problems (3 vols.).
National Resources Board, Problems of a Changing Population.
Perlman, S., History of Trade Unionism in the United States, Part I.
Perlman, S., and Taft, P., History of Labor in the United States 1896-1932, especially Section 4.
Robertson, D. H., Economic Fragments, “Wage Grumbles.”
Webb, S., and B., History of Trade Unionism, Chs. 1, 2, 7, 8.
Witte, E. E., The Government in Labor Disputes, Chs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 13.
VII. Interest.
A
Fisher, Irving, Capital and Income, Chs. 1-6; Theory of Interest.
Henderson, H. D., Supply and Demand, Ch. VIII.
Taussig, F. W., Principles of Economics, Vol. II, Chs. 38-40.
B
Böhm-Bawerk, Eugen v., Positive Theory of Capital, Books 1, 2, 5, 6, 7.
Hansen, A. H., Full Recovery or Stagnation, Ch. 1 “Review of J. M. Kenyes’s General Theory etc.”
Keynes, J. M., General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, 13-17.
Schumpeter, J. A., The Theory of Economic Development.
Wicksell, Knut, Lectures on Political Economy, pp. 101-218.
VIII. Rent.
A
Carver, T. N., The Distribution of Wealth, Ch. V.
Fetter, F. A., Economic Principles, Vol. I, Part II, pp. 89-158.
George, Henry, Progress and Poverty.
Henderson, H. D., Supply and Demand, Ch. VI.
B
Marshall, Alfred, Principles of Economics, Book IV, Chs. 2, 3; Book V, Chs. 8-11; Book VI, Chs. 9, 10.
Monroe, A. E., Value and Income, Chs. V, VI, VII.
Ricardo, David, Principles of Political Economy, Chs. 2, 3; “Influence of a Low Price of Corn on the Profits of Stock,” E. C. K. Gonner, Economic Essays by David Ricardo.
IX. Profits.
A
Berle, A., and Means, G. C., Modern Corporation and Private Property, Book IV.
Carver, T. N., Distribution of Wealth, Ch. 7.
Henderson, H. D., Supply and Demand, Ch. VII.
Marshall, Alfred, Principles of Economics (8th), Book VI, Ch. 8.
B
Gordon, R. A., “Enterprise, Profits, and the Modern Corporation,” Explorations in Economics.
Knight, Frank, Risk, Uncertainty and Profits, Chs. 2, 9, 10.
Schumpeter, J. A., Theory of Economic Development, Chs. I-IV.
Veblen, Thorstein, Theory of Business Enterprise.
X. International Trade and Tariff.
A
Beveridge, Sir Wm., Tariffs: The Case Examined.
Ellsworth, P., International Economics.
Hansen, Alvin H., Commission of Inquiry on Naitonal Policy in International Economic Relations.
Harrod, R. F., International Economics.
Killough, U. B., International Trade.
Salter, Sir Arthur, Recovery, the Second Effort.
Smith, A., Wealth of Nations, Book IV.
Taussig, F. W., Tariff History of the United States; Readings in International Trade and Tariff Problems; Some Aspects of the Tariff Question.
Wallace, Henry, America Must Choose.
Whale, B., International Trade.
B
Delle Donne, O., European Tariff Policies.
Haberler, Gottfried, The Theory of International Trade.
Macmillan Report, Addendum III (Keynes)
Ohlin, Bertil, Interregional and International Trade.
Page, T. W., Making the Tariff in the United States.
Ricardo, David, Principles of Political Economy, Chs. VII, XIX, XXII.
XI. Public Finance
A
Clark, J. M., The Economics of Planning Public Works.
Gayer, Arthur, Public Works in Prosperity and Depression.
Gayer, Hansen et al, “Recent Depression and Public Works and Taxation,” New Republic Supplement, Feb. 1938.
Keynes, J. M., Means to Prosperity.
Robinson, M. E., Public Finance.
B
Bullock, C. J., Readings in Public Finance.
Colwyn Report, Great Britain: Report of the Committee on National Debt and Taxation, 1927.
Fagan, Elmer, and Macy, C. W., Public Finance: Selected Readings.
Lutz, H. L., Public Finance (third edition)
National Industrial Conference Board, Cost of Government in the United States 1935-37.
Silverman, H. A., Its Incidence and Effects.
Stamp, Sir J., Fundamental Principles of Taxation (second edition)
Twentieth Century Fund, Facing the Tax Problem.
XII. Business Cycles and Social Reform.
A
Cole, G. D. H., Principles of Economic Planning.
Ely, R. T., Outlines of Economics, Ch. 17.
Fisher, Allan, Clash between Progress and Security.
Hansen, Alvin H., Economic Stabilization in an Unbalanced World.
Meade, J. E., Introduction to Economic Analysis and Policy, Part I.
Mitchell, W. C., “Description of Cycle,” in Moulton, H. G., Financial Organization of Society.
Pigou, A. C., Socialism vs. Capitalism.
Robbins, L., The Great Depression.
Simons, H., Positive Program for Laissez-faire.
Wooton, B., Plan or No Plan.
B
Clark, J. M., Strategic Factors in the Business Cycle.
Haberler, G., Prosperity and Depression.
Hansen, Alvin H., Full Recovery or Stagnation; Business Cycles.
Keynes, J. M., General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money.
Pigou, A. C., Economics in Practice; Economics of Welfare.
Robinson, Joan, Introduction to the Theory of Employment.
Source: Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Economists’ Papers Archive. Lloyd Appleton Metzler Papers, Box 9, Folder “Econ. A”.