“Public Finance, including the Theory and Methods of Taxation” was a course open to both undergraduate and graduate students at Harvard (though the published course announcement explicitly advised that graduate students should instead take the corresponding course in the graduate program, Economics 31). Public finance along with early economic doctrines were regularly taught by Charles Jesse Bullock who taught both the undergraduate and graduate courses in public finance in 1914-15. The course announcement, enrollment figures, and the final examination questions come from three different sources, all of which are available on-line. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting corresponding material from the twenty economics courses offered during the 1914-15 year for which the final examination questions had been printed and subsequently published.
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Course Announcement
Economics 5. Public Finance, including the Theory and Methods of Taxation.
Mon., Wed., Fri., at 9. Professor Bullock.
This course covers the entire field of public finance, but emphasizes the subject of taxation. After a brief survey of the history of finance, attention is given to public expenditures, commercial revenues, administrative revenues, and taxation, with consideration both of theory and of the practice of various countries. Public credit is then studied, and financial legislation and administration are briefly treated.
Systematic reading is prescribed, and most of the exercises are conducted by the method of informal discussion. Candidates for distinction will be given an opportunity to write theses.
Graduate students are advised to elect Economics 31. [p. 65]
Source: Division of History, Government, and Economics 1914-15. Official Register of Harvard University, Vol. XI, No. 1, Part 14 (May 19, 1914).
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Course Enrollment
[Economics] 5. Professor Bullock.—Public Finance, including the Theory and Methods of Taxation.
Total 45: 2 Graduates, 16 Seniors, 21 Juniors, 3 Sophomores, 3 Others.
Source: Report of the President of Harvard College, 1914-15, p. 59.
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Final Examination (second term)
ECONOMICS 5
- How ought public charges to be distributed? (Give at least one hour to this question.)
- What is the incidence of taxes upon houses?
- What taxes are employed in Great Britain for national purposes? (Describe each branch of taxation briefly.)
- What taxes are levied for state and local purposes in the United States, and how satisfactorily do they operate?
- Discuss the subject of special assessments in the United States.
- Discuss the practical working of the general property tax in Switzerland.
- What is Bastable’s opinion concerning sinking funds?
Source: Harvard University Examinations. Papers Set for Final Examinations in History, History of Science, Government, Economics, Philosophy, Psychology, Social Ethics, Education, Fine Arts, Music in Harvard College. June 1915, p. 49.
Image Source: Charles Jesse Bullock in Harvard Class Album, 1915.