Harvard. O.H. Taylor’s undergraduate course, Intellectual Background of Economic Thought, 1941

 

 

Starting in the academic year 1940-41, Harvard’s advanced undergraduate honors course in economic theory (Economics 1) was split into two semester courses Economics 1a (Chamberlin: Economic Theory) and 1b (This post. Taylor: Intellectual Background of Economic Thought). The last time Economics 1 was offered as a year course (1939-40), it was taught by Professor Chamberlin, Associate Professor Leontief and Instructor O.H. Taylor. Two years later, 1941-42, the second semester course 1b was taught by Professor Haberler and Associate Professor Leontief under the title “Theory of Production and Distribution of the National Income”. In 1942-43, Economics 1b as “Theory of Production and Distribution of the National Income” was taught a last time by Professor Leontief and Dr. Monroe.

Only for the second semester of 1940-41 was Dr. Overton Hume Taylor to offer Economics 1b according to the syllabus transcribed for this posting. Not a mover and shaker within the Harvard economics department, he was clearly a serious scholar-economist, though out of step with the economics profession of his day. Most historians of economics will recognize a soulmate in Taylor.

Overton Hume Taylor (1897-1987) was born in Colorado, received his B.A. at the University of Colorado in 1921 and Ph.D. from Harvard in 1928. He held the rank of instructor 1929-1960, promoted to professor, 1960-64. He retired from Harvard in 1964, going on to teach at Vanderbilt University.

Here is a link to Taylor’s A History of Economic Thought (1960). 

Recent addition: the final examination questions for “The Intellectual Background of Economic Thought” from the Spring term of 1940-41. 

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[Course Listing]

Economics 1b ²hf. The Intellectual Background of Economic Thought.

Half-course (second half-year). Mon., Wed., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Fri. at 11. Dr. O. H. Taylor.

 

Source: Harvard University. Announcement of the Courses of Instruction Offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the Academic Year 1940-41, Second Edition, p. 55.

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[Course Enrollment]

[Economics] 1b ²hf. Dr. O. H. Taylor.—The Intellectual Background of Economic Thought.

14 Juniors, 1 Sophomore:   Total 15.

 

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College and Reports of Departments for 1940-41, p. 58.

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Economics 1b

The Intellectual Background of Economic Thought

Reading, Lectures, and Discussions. February – May, 1941

 

Read during semester

G. H. Sabine: A History of Political Theory

 

During February

Morris Cohen: Reason and Nature, pp.
A. N. Whitehead: The Function of Reason
Carl Becker: The Heavenly City of the 18^th C. Phil’s
O. H. Taylor: Two Articles, Econ. and Nat. Law, Q.J.E. vol. 44, p. 1 and 205.

 

During March

Crane Brinton: The Pol. Ideas of the Eng. Romanticists
Othmar Spann: A History of Econ. Theory
Sidney Hook: The Meaning of Marx
and others

 

During April

Crane Brinton: Eng. Pol. Thought in the 19^th Cent. Sections (see Table of Contents) on Bentham, Coleridge, Mill, Cobden, Carlyle, Bagehot, T.H. Green, Spencer.
Alexander Gray: The Development of Econ. Doctrine
R. G. Tugwell and Others: The Trend of Economics. Chapters by Mitchell, Tugwell, Wolfe, Clark, and Knight
Henry Simons: A Positive Program for Laissez-Faire

 

Lectures and Discussions

February 3.	Introductory Lecture. Ideologies and Economics. Classical Economics and Liberalism, Marxism, Romantic Nationalism, Modern Liberalism and Positivism. General Background of Intellectual History. Beginnings of Modern Science, Liberalism, Positivism, and Romanticism.
February 5.	Lecture. A Criticism of the Economic Interpretation of History.
February 7.	Class Discussion of Two Previous Lectures.
February 10.	Lecture. Classical Economics and the Moral Basis of Free Enterprise Liberalism.
February 12.	Lecture. The Defects of the Old Liberalism, and the Present Crisis.
February 14.	Class Discussion of Two Previous Lectures.
February 17.	Lecture. Western Positivism and German Romanticism.
February 19.	Lecture. Western Positivism and German Romanticism – continued.
February 21.	Class Discussion.
February 24.	Lecture. The Origins of Positivism and the Mechanistic Cosmology and Sociology.
February 26.	Lecture. Teleology and Mechanism, Moral and Natural Science, Mediaeval and Modern Phil.
February 28.	Class Discussion.
March 3.	Lecture. The Transition from the Moral to the Social Sciences. Ambiguities in the Transition Period. Classical Economics and Liberalism.
March 5.	Lecture. The recent Growth of Pure Positivism, and the Change in Liberalism.
March 7.	Class Discussion.
March 10.	Lecture. The Origins and Nature of the Romantic Movement.
March 12.	Lecture. Kant, and Romanticism in German Philosophy and Social Science.
March 14.	Class Discussion.
March 17.	Lecture. Adam Mueller, Frederich List, and the Historical School: Organicism, Nationalism, and Historical Relativity.
March 19.	Lecture. Spiritual-Cultural Science, Culture Epochs; Sombart and Weber; Spann and the Nazis.
March 21.	Class Discussion.
March 24.	Lecture. The Backgrounds of Marx: Utopian Socialism, Classical Economics, and Hegel. Contributions of Each.
March 26.	Lecture. The Essentials of Marxism, and its Relations to the Liberal and Romantic Traditions.
March 28.	Class Discussion.
April 7.	Lecture. The Physiocrats and Adam Smith. Economic Self-Interest and a Moral, Social Order.
April 9.	Lecture. Utilitarianism and Classical Economics.
April 11.	Class Discussion.
April 14.	Lecture. Ricardian Economics, Utility Economics, and Mathematical Economics.
April 16.	Lecture. Marginal Productivity and Distributive Justice.
April 18.	Class Discussion.
April 21.	Lecture. Monopolistic Competition and its Implications for Public Policy.
April 23.	Lecture. The Positivist—and—Modern-Liberal Trend in Monetary and Cycle Theory. J. M. Keynes.
April 25.	Class Discussion.
April 28.	Lecture. Capitalism, Democracy, Class Struggle, and Liberalism.
April 30.	Lecture. Economic Planning in a Free Society.
May 2.	Class Discussion.

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Reading Period
May 5-27, 1941

Economics 1b:   Read the following:

Robbins, Nature and Significance of Economic Science.

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Source: Harvard University Archives (HUC 8522.2.1). Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in Economics, 1895-2003: Box 2. Folder “1940-41”.

Image Source: Harvard Album, 1952.