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Cornell. Laughlin’s Scheme to Expand Economics,1891

J. Laurence Laughlin was hired away from Cornell to build the Department of Political Economy at the University of Chicago that began operation in the academic year 1892-93. This proposal to expand Cornell’s own instructional and research work in political economy and finance is interesting as Laughlin’s vision of what it would take to go from second-rate to the leading department. It is also interesting for its table comparing Laughlin’s dream department with the state of affairs at six rival universities: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Michigan and Pennsylvania in 1890-91.

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SCHEME FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND FINANCE IN CORNELL UNIVERSITY, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

I.

In view of the arrangement of courses for the coming year, (1891—2,) careful consideration should be given to the opportunities afforded by this department. The subjects heated are essential parts of the civic education of every member of society. Apart from their disciplinary value, their practical character would alone make it natural that the curricula of such schools as those of Agriculture, and of Mechanic Arts, should be enriched by including in them economic courses. This policy has already been announced by the statement in the University Register that Political Economy shall be hereafter made a part of the course of Civil Engineering. When regard is had to the prevailing ignorance of economics and its effect on national legislation, the wisdom of this policy is undoubted. The question might even be raised whether it were not advisable to require Political Economy of all students in the various courses, quite as much as History, or Chemistry. I cannot think, however, it is of advantage to the influence of a study to make its pursuit obligatory; but there cannot, I suppose, be any difference of opinion as to the wisdom of providing the proper amount of instruction, when the study of it is voluntary, and when the numbers of students are too great, (as is now the case,) to be properly cared for by the single professor

II.

In extending the reputation and prestige of Cornell University, no possible investment of its funds would, in my judgment, produce larger or earlier fruit than those spent in enlarging the work of this department. Such a policy would, at once, lend aid in educating the country where it most needs education, and bring here greater numbers of bright students who want economic training. The real University is to be found in the men it trains, and in the influence they exert on the community.

The deplorable ignorance and prejudice regarding questions of great practical importance, (such as banking and currency topics.) in the very regions from which we now draw our students, and must hereafter draw them in increasing numbers, makes the duty, as well as the opportunity, of our University, one of transcendent importance. Can it rise to the occasion? It is entirely within the truth to say that no such opportunity is open to us in any other branch of study. Furthermore, no other institution in our country is, at present, so well situated as Cornell University for doing a great and striking work in economics. If we accomplish this work, we can secure a strong hold on the people, and an enviable repute for enthusiastic, enterprising scholarship on subjects touching the immediate welfare of every individual citizen.

The mere fact of having had this exceptional opportunity for twenty years, and not having used it, (excepting one year,)—although there may be good reasons for it—has created a widespread belief elsewhere in our lack of interest and purpose in aiding economic study. To take only a second-rate position, therefore, or to do only moderately well, will not be enough to place us in a proper attitude before the public. Nor will it do to act so slowly that the growth of the department, however real, may be imperceptible to the outside world. In short, to produce the desired effect we should, if possible, draw the attention of the country to us by a striking and important movement; and it will be easy to make it striking and effective, because it is started in a subject which is occupying general attention. To indicate what form this movement should take is, in my opinion, the proper purpose of this communication. It has consequently seemed best to present a scheme of work for the department in as nearly complete a form as possible; a scheme, which shall be more thorough, more comprehensive, more scholarly than that presented by any other university. If adopted, it may then be said that greater advantages for economic study are offered at Cornell University than at any other American university. That a distinct opportunity exists for us, any member of an economic department in other institutions would be the first to admit. Our apathy in this matter has, in the past, excited some comment and surprise.

The discussion regarding the neglect by this University of liberal studies in favor of the professional and technical schools, might suggest the present as a favorable opportunity to disabuse the public of that mistaken idea, by adopting this scheme for enlarging the department of economics; for, while appealing to those who believe in an intensely practical education, economics in truth belongs, because of its disciplinary power, to the culture studies. Should the Fayerweather bequest be received, may it not be the means, by concentrating its use on one field, of making a striking movement which would command public attention?

III

I present herewith a list of courses which, if provided, would place this department ahead of any other in America. This is then followed by a comparison of the proposed scheme with the courses offered at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. The courses run throughout the year, at the given number of hours per week :—

  1. Introductory course. Principles of Modern Economics. Elementary Banking. Descriptive economics: Money, coöperation, bimetallism, railway transportation, etc.
    3 hours a week. [At present, two sections, requiring of the instructor six hours a week.]
  1. Advanced course. History of Economic Theory. Examination of writers and systems. Critical Studies. Open only to those who have passed in course 1.
    3 hours a week.
  1. Investigation of Practical Economic Questions of the day: shipping, money, profit-sharing, social questions. Theses and Criticisms. Training for Seminary. Open only to those who have passed in course 1.
    2 hours a week.
  1. The Industrial and Economic History of Europe and the United States in the last 100 years. Lectures and selected reading. No previous economic study required.
    3 hours a week.
  1. Taxation. Public Finance. Banking. Comparative study of the Financial Methods of the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, etc. Open only to those who have passed in course 1.
    3 hours a week.
  1. History of Financial Legislation in the United States since 1789. Lectures and reports. Open to all students.
    1 hour a week.
  1. History of Tariff Legislation in the United States since 1789; Tariff Legislation of France, Germany and Great Britain. Open to all students.
    2 hours a week.
  1. Railway Transportation and Legislation in the United States and Europe. Open to all students.
    2 hours a week.
  1. Statistics. Methods. Practical Training for Statistical Work. Presentation of Results. Open only to those who have passed in course 1.
    3 hours a week.
  1. Land Tenures. Land Systems of England, Ireland, France Belgium. Germany, and the United States. Open to all students. 1 hour a week.
  1. Socialistic Theories. Marx, Lasalle, Proudhon; and modern popular theories. Open only to those who have passed in course 1.
    1 hour a week.
  1. Seminary. Special Investigations. Open only to competent students.
    2 hours a week.

 

COMPARISON OF THE PROPOSED COURSES WITH THOSE NOW GIVEN AT VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES.

Courses. Proposed for Cornell. Now Given at
Cor-
nell.
Har-
vard.
Yale. Colum-
bia.
Johns Hopkins. Penna. Michi-
gan.
1 3 3 3 7 ½ 1 5 4 ½ 2
2 3 }3 3 3 1 ½ 5 (?) 6 1
3 2 1 ½ 1 2 2 ½
4 3 3 2 1 2 1[*]
5 3 3 2 3 1 1 ½
6 1 1 ½ }2 2 2
7 2 1 1 ½ 1 1
8 2 1 ½ 1 1 ½
9 3 2 1 ½
10 1
11 1 1 2
12 2 2 2(?) 2 ½ 2 2 2 2
Total. 26 9 20 22 19 12 18 ½ 11 ½
Number of In-
structors.
5 1 4 4 4 1 5 2

[* The actual entry in this cell appear to be:
LaughlinGraphic

This Table makes obvious, at a glance, how far Cornell is behind other universities in this department. When it is considered that man’s character is moulded by his material surroundings; that questions of livelihood and economic concern occupy his thoughts more hours in the day, possibly, than any other subject; that the great forming agencies of the world are religious and economic,—this shortcoming in our courses of instruction becomes painfully evident. Not only are we behind other institutions, but this department, with all its importance, is far behind almost every other of our departments, especially in comparison with the Historical group.

The present number of students in the department (about 160) is, moreover, too large to be properly cared for by one instructor. Nor should the present professor be expected to keep in view the larger questions of the scope and influence of the department, or the work of investigation, and yet continue the reading of routine, but necessary, exercises.

To give the courses in the proposed list above, in addition to the present professor, there would be needed at least one associate professor, at a probable salary of $2,000 (to whom it would be necessary, in order to obtain the right man, to offer some definite expectation of further promotion in the future); one assistant-professor, at the usual salary, and two capable instructors, paid probably $1,000 each. These estimates are, of course, provisional.

IV

Of equal, or even greater importance than the increased hours of instruction, for the purpose of touching the work of students at its most vital point, is the grant of a suitable Publication Fund. The professor in charge believes this to be essential to the success of the department; that this part of the scheme is of primary importance. It is proposed to publish investigations of students and instructors in a series of bound volumes, with a distinctive cover, marking them as productions of Cornell University, and entitled “Cornell University Studies in Economics.” For this purpose at least $1,000 per annum should be granted. It would be appropriate to name this the “Fayerweather Publication Fund,” and every volume issued would bear the name of this benefactor. With the material already in sight that sum would not be sufficient; but it would, so far as it goes, send the name of the University into every centre of scholarly work in this country and in Europe. Still better, it would do more than any other one thing to stimulate the work of our students, and to produce finished and accurate scholarship; while the practical bearing of these studies would bring the University to the notice of men in business and financial circles.

The subject has been carefully examined and studied in view of past experience in other institutions. The establishment of the Quarterly Journal of Economics by Harvard University was due to the creation of a Publication Fund, and it has won the respect and attracted the attention of scholars, as well as the public, the world over. Columbia College has wielded a large influence by the Political Science Quarterly, and stimulated its work in these lines: while, in addition, the publication of a series of monographs is now announced. The University of Pennsylvania has lately taken energetic steps to increase its publications, by which the work of the Wharton School has been suddenly brought to the attention of students everywhere. Not only a journal, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, but a series of monographs, and translations of important German works, are published by this school. The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science have been published for years, and, although not even in quality, have done more than anything else to attract attention to their facilities for investigation and study. Finally, the scheme of the new University of Chicago, following the trend of these successful movements, makes the “University Publication Work” one of the three general divisions of its work, and emphasizes the desire to publish papers, journals, and books by instructors, thereby hoping to furnish greater stimulus and incentive than now exist toward original investigation.

V

The fixing of a high standard of work by students; in the department; the encouragement of capable young men to carry on their studies beyond mere superficial work; a relief to poor, but able, men from subsidiary employments to earn a living while engaged in investigations; a means of drawing here from other institutions the brightest men who have distinguished themselves in economics; and, to provide for investigators, who will present their results to the public and enlarge the repute of the University for scholarly work both at home and abroad,—all these things can be effected only by the creation of fellowships and scholarships in this department. Five (5) fellowships, permitting the holders to reside either at the University, or abroad, with an annual income of $500 each; and four (4) scholarships, with an annual income of $250 each, are urgently needed.

VI

The library is deficient in important collections and series, which are absolutely essential to economic research; and which are possessed by other institutions. In other places these deficiencies are supplemented by access to neighboring libraries (e.g., at Columbia College, by the Lenox and Astor Libraries; at Harvard University, by the Boston Public Library and the Atheneum. Our absolute isolation requires that we should own these important collections outright. We have, for example, none of the British Government Publications (the “Blue-Books”), a complete set of which is very expensive; nor those of France, or Germany, whose statistical work is exceedingly valuable. Of the various European economic journals, by which we may keep abreast of current thinking, we have almost none. It is a hindrance: which would be regarded as intolerable in Physics, Chemistry, or Philology. In short, the department needs a special annual grant of $2,000 for at least five (5) years beyond the present and expected allowance of next year for this department) to bring it to a respectable basis, as compared with other departments. Detailed accounts of these wants can be given, if needed.

VII

SUMMARY.

The Board of Trustees is respectfully asked to grant an annual appropriation to this department of the following sums :—

Additional instruction,
One Associate Professor,

$ 2,000

One Assistant Professor,

   1,600

Two Instructors at $1000 each,

   2,000

$ 5,600

Five Fellowships at $500 each,

   2,500

Four Scholarships at $250 each,

   1,000

Publication fund,

   1,000

Books (for five years),

   2,000

Total,

$12,100

With this grant, it is quite certain we can produce results which are not now possible in any university in this country Our department of economics will then be the first in the United States.—one of which every friend of Cornell can speak with pride. Especially will it mark an epoch in the history of economic training in this country, and bring Cornell to the front in an important subject of universal, and yet practical, concern. The University is not rich enough to permit any other institution to seize the opportunity for which she herself has so evident an advantage, and for which she so evidently occupies a strategic position.

Very respectfully presented by

J. LAURENCE LAUGHLIN.

Professor of Political Economy and Finance.

March 2, 1891

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 Source: Laughlin, James Laurence. Papers, [Box 1, Folder 17], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

Image Source: Clipped from printed speech given at the 78th meeting of The Sunset Club at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago, December 6, 1894 found in Laughlin, James Laurence. Papers, [Box 1, Folder 17], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

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Chicago Courses Exam Questions Uncategorized

Chicago. Money and Banking. Economics 330 Exam. Autumn 1932

Here we have the exam questions and Milton Friedman’s choices together with his notes for one of the answers to Lloyd Mints’ graduate course (first in a sequence of the two quarter courses.) on Money and Banking in 1932.

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[Univ. of Chicago]

[Milton Friedman (MF signature)]

 

ECONOMICS 330
Autumn, 1932

Write on any four questions.

  1. [✓] “The banks could either keep the demand for real capital within the limits set by the supply of savings or keep the price level steady; but they cannot perform both functions at once.” (Hayek) Discuss this statement critically.
  2. “Only the purely static quantity theory needs no index number, for its comparisons assume relative prices to be unchanged inter se. The objections to Professor Fisher’s Equation of Exchange arise mainly from the faults of the price index implied in it.” (Hawtrey) Explain and evaluate this statement.
  3. [✓] The criticism is sometimes made of the quantity theory that it assumes other things to be equal, whereas in fact they are not. Discuss this criticism. What “other things” are referred to?
  4. Discuss the relation between the k of Keynes’ earlier equation and the velocity of circulation.
    b. Discuss the statement that changes in the velocity of circulation of goods cannot bring about changes in the price level because of the fact that they necessarily bring about compensating changes in the velocity of circulation of money.
  5. [✓] According to Keynes’ analysis what would it be necessary to do in order to eliminate the business cycle? State and support your opinion of Keynes’ conclusion.

_____________________________

[Milton Friedman’s right margin notes for Question 4:]

n=pk
p=\frac{n}{k}
\frac{n}{k}=\frac{MV}{T}\text{ (MF then cancels }n\text{ with }M\text{)}
\frac{1}{k}=\frac{V}{T}
k=\frac{T}{V}=\frac{1}{V}

Source: Hoover Institution Archives, Milton Friedman Papers, Box 115, Folder  13 (Biographical. Class exams, ca 1932-38).

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Cf. Keynes: Tract on Monetary Reform (1923), p. 76-77

“We can measure this definite amount of purchasing power in terms of a unit made up of a collection of specified quantities of their standard articles of consumption or other objects of expenditure….Let us call such a unit a ‘consumption unit’ and assume that the public require to hold an amount of money having a purchasing power over k consumption units. Let there be n currency notes or other forms of cash in circulation with the public, and let p be the prices of each consumption unit (i.e., p is the index number of the cost of living), then it follows from the above that n = pk. This is the famous Quantity Theory of Money.”

 

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Chicago Courses

Chicago. Money and Banking. Economics 331. Mints 1932

This is the reading list for the second quarter of the two-quarter sequence Money and Banking taught by Lloyd Mints in 1932. The Economics 330 reading list for the Summer of 1932 is found in the previous posting. There you will also find a course description for both quarters. This reading list come from the papers of Albert G. Hart at Columbia University Archives. Handwritten annotations by Hart are written in italics inside of square brackets.  My additions are likewise within the square brackets and placed inside parentheses, i.e. [Hart annotation (Collier addition)]. As for the previous post I have substituted asterisks for checkmarks that appear to designate required or recommended reading.

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Reading Reference

Economics 331

MONEY AND BANKING

  1. Control through the routine operations of the banking system (banking theory)
    1. The earning assets of commercial banks
      [*one (of Agger, Dunbar or Conant)]

      1. Agger, Organized Banking, pages 37-52
      2. Dunbar, The Theory and History of Banking, in the second edition chapter III, pages 20-38
      3. Conant, The Principles of Money and Banking, Vol. II, Book IV, pages 45-56.
      4. [*]Moulton, Commercial Banking and Capital Formation, in the Journal of Political Economy, vol. 26, pages 705-731.
    2. Deposits and notes
      [1 of Agger, Conant, Dunbar]

      1. Agger, part of chapter II, pages 53-63; and chapters IV and V, pages 76-104.
      2. Conant, Vol. II, Book IV, chapters II, part of III, and VII, pages 17-44, 57-66, 143-164.
      3. Dunbar, chapter V, pages 54-66.
      4. Dunbar, chapter VI, pages 67-77.
        [Mints, J.P.E. Elasticity of bank notes]
    3. Reserves
      1. Conant, Vol. II, Book IV, chapter IV, pages 67-84.
      2. Agger, chapters VIII and IX, pages 140-174.
      3. Warburg, The Discount System in Europe (National Monetary Commission)
    4. The Expansion of bank loans and deposits
      [W. Withers U… of Bank(?) Funds(?)]

      1. Agger, pages 31-33.
      2. [*]Cannan, The Meaning of Bank Deposits, in Economica for January, 1921, pages 28-36.
      3. Phillips, Bank Credit, chapters II, III, and IV, pages 13-83.
      4. Lawrence, Stabilization of Prices, pp. 327-367. [sample]
      5. Bradford, Borrowed Reserves and Bank Expansion, in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 43 (November, 1928), pp. 179-184.
  2. Control through the financial system as exemplified in Europe (particularly England) and the United States.
    1. Development of the English Banking system
      1. Dunbar, chapter on the Bank of England, in the second edition ch XI, pages 191-227.
      2. Andreades, A History of the Bank of England, pages 269-294.
      3. [*]Bagehot, Lombard Street, in the edition of 1915, chapters III and VII, pages 74-97, 153-197.
      4. Withers, The English Banking System, chapter II, pages 65-98.
      5. [A. C. Feareryear. The Pound Sterling]
    2. The London Money Market
      1. Bagehot, edition of 1915, chapter XII, pages 284-309.
      2. Interviews on the Banking and Currency Systems of England, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy (The National Monetary Commission), pages 7-59.
        [one (of either Whitaker or Furniss below)]
      3. Whitaker, Foreign Exchange, chapters VIII and XX.
      4. Furniss, Foreign Exchange, chapters XII and XIII.
      5. Withers, The English Banking System, chapter I.
      6. Withers, The Meaning of Money, pages 107-172.
      7. Spalding, The London Money Market, chapters IV, V and VII.
      8. Leaf, Banking, chapters III, VII and VIII.
      9. Willis, The Federal Reserve System, pages 1009-1016.
      10. [*]Escher, Foreign Exchange Explained, chapters III, and X-XII
      11. Willis and Beckhart, Foreign Banking Systems, Ch. XVII, pp. 1144-1243.
      12. Plummer, The Currency Settlement in England, in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 43 (November, 1928), pp. 171-179
      13. The Federal Reserve Bulletin, Vol. 14 (1928), pp. 564-569 (British Currency and Bank Note Act of 1928)
        [(and) vol 17 (October 1931), pp. 553-4, 571)]
    3. The Bank of France and the Reichsbank
      1. Dunbar, chapters on the Bank of France and the Reichsbank, in the second edition chapters IX and XII.
      2. Interviews, pages 189-218, 371-391.
      3. Miscellaneous Articles on German Banking (The National Monetary Commission) pages 69-102.
      4. Riesser, The Great German Banks, (National Monetary Commission) pages 347-383, 987-994.
      5. Hauser, Germany’s Commercial Grip on the World, pages 61-91.
      6. The Federal Reserve Bulletin:
        1. Vol. 10 (1924), pp. 854-858 (The Reichsbank law of 1924)
        2. Vol. 14 (1928), pp. 570-577 (The French monetary law of 1928)
      7. Fairchild, German War Finance—A Review, in the American Economic Review, Vol. XII, (June, 1922) pages 246-261.
      8. Beckhart, The Discount Policy of the Federal Reserve System, chapter II, pages 30-98.
      9. Liesse, Evolution of Credit and Banks in France (National Monetary Commission), pages 193-239.
      10. [*]Willis and Beckhart, chapters VII and VIII, pp. 522-722.
    4. Evolution of the American Banking System
      1. [*]One of the three following-named books:
        1. Dewey, State Banking before the Civil War; and Chaddock, the Safety Fund Banking System in New York, 1829-1866.
        2. Huntington, A History of Banking and Currency in Ohio before the Civil War
        3. Preston, History of Banking in Iowa
      2. Miller, Banking Theories in the United states before 1860.
      3. [**]Sprague, Crises Under the National Banking System, chapter I.
      4. Hepburn, History of Currency in the United States, pages 306-410.
      5. Noyes, The War Period of American Finance, pages 34-50.
      6. Sprague, Banking Reform in the United States, pages 9-130.
      7. Davis, Origin of the National Banking System.

Source: Columbia University Libraries, Manuscript Collections. Albert Gailord Hart Papers. Box 60. Folder “Mints, Money 1932”.

 

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Chicago Courses Syllabus

Chicago. Money and Banking, Economics 330 Mints, 1932

The following reading list for Lloyd Wynn Mints’ course “Money and Banking” (Summer Quarter of 1932) was hand-marked by Albert G. Hart indicating either required or recommended readings. Everything in italics and within square brackets, [], are Hart’s additions. I have substituted asterisks for Hart’s use of checkmarks. My additions are placed inside parentheses within the square brackets [()].

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E: THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

Courses 330, 331 are introductory to the problem and research courses.

330, 331. Money and Banking.–This is a double course having two objectives. (1) The student is expected to make a wide acquaintance with the literature of the field and to become familiar with those theories and principles in the fields of money and banking which are essential to an intelligent understanding of the problems arising in these fields. The relation of a medium of exchange to the processes by which changes in the price level are brought about is critically examined. Consideration is given to the principles which should govern the operations of individual commercial banks and of the banking system, and to the relation of these operations to changes in the price level and business conditions. (2) Time is devoted to a discussion of the feasibility of control of economic activities through the pecuniary system. The outstanding issues in international finance are surveyed. Prerequisite: accounting and statistics and Economics 230 or its equivalent. Summer, Autumn, Winter, Mints.

Source: Announcements, The University of Chicago, Vol. XXXII, no. 12 February 1932. Arts, Literature and Science for the Sessions of 1932-33, p. 358.

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Economics 330
Money and Banking

  1. The functions of money and banking
    1. The origins of money
      1. Monroe, Monetary Theory before Adam Smith (See the table of contents)
      2. Moulton, Readings in Money and Banking, pages 45-74
      3. Phillips, Readings in Money and Banking, pages 7-25
    2. The functions of money
      1. Monroe (See table of contents)
      2. Mill, Principles of Political Economy, Book III, ch. 7
      3. Foster and Catchings, Money, pages 1-52
      4. Holdsworth, Money and Banking, ch. 1
      5. Johnson, Money and Currency, ch. 1 and 2
      6. Kinley, Money, ch. 1
      7. Marshall, Money, Credit, and Commerce, pages 12-20
      8. Moulton, Financial Organization of Society, ch. 1-3
      9. Moulton, Money and Banking, Part I, pages 5-13, 31-44
      10. Scott, Money and Banking, pages 1-49
    3. The functions of banking
      1. Gilbart, The History, Principles and Practice of Banking, Michie edition, Vol. I, pages 210-223
      2. Mill, Book III, ch. 11
      3. McLeod, Theory and Practice of Banking, Vol. I, pages 313-326
      4. [*]Agger, Organized Banking, pages 3-36
      5. [*]Conant, Principles of Money and Banking, Vol. II. Pages 206-219; 239-255
      6. [*]Dunbar, Theory and History of Banking, pages 1-19
      7. [*]Moulton, In the Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 26, pages 484-508; 638-663; and 849-881
      8. Watkins, (and Moulton) in the Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 27, pages 578-605
      9. Steiner, Some Aspects of Banking Theory, pages 34-67
      10. Veblen, Theory of Business enterprise, pages 91-132
  2. Statement of theories concerning the relation of money and banking to the price level
    1. Monroe, chs. 7, 12, 19, 22, 29, 30, 34
    2. [1*]Ricardo, Principles of Political Economy (Gonner edition) ch. 27
    3. [2*]Mill, Book III, chs. 7-13
    4. Laughlin, Principles of Money, chs. 8 and 9
    5. [3*]Fisher, Purchasing Power of Money, chs. 2-5 [,8]
    6. Anderson, The Value of Money, ch. 20 [sample]
    7. [4?*]Cassel, Theory of Social Economy, ch. 11
    8. [5*]Hawtrey, Currency and Credit, pages 1-110 [(3rd ed. )]
    9. Keynes, Monetary Reform, pages 81-95
    10. Cannan, Money, 4th or 5th edition, parts I and II.
    11. Robertson, Money, revised edition, chs. 2, 3, and 4.
    12. [*]Marshall, Money, Credit, and Commerce, pp. 38-50
    13. Phillips, Readings in Money and Banking, pp. 178-212
    14. [**]Pigou, The Value of Money, in the Quarterly Journal of Economics for 1917-18, pp. 38-65
    15. Foster and Catchings, Money, ch. 10
    16. Kemmerer, Relation of Money and Credit to Prices, Book I, chs. 1 and 2; Book II, chs. 1 and 8
    17. Scott, Money and Banking, ch. 4
    18. [**]Keynes, A Treatise on Money, Vol. I, chs. 9-12 and 14[-17]
  3. Appraisal of these theories by means of
    1. Logical analyses
      [Vol I of Keynes, pp. 53-120, 221-39]

      1. Anderson, The Value of Money, chs. 2-19
      2. Burns, The Quantity Theory and Price Stabilization, in The American Economic Review for December, 1929; Part III, pp. 573-579.
      3. [*]Davenport, Velocities, Turnovers and Prices, in The American Economic Review for March, 1930; pp. 9-19
        [cf. Marget in J.P.E.]
      4. Laughlin, The Principles of Money, ch. 8
      5. Lewinski, Money, Credit and Prices, chs. 1 and 3
    2. Examination of the process of changes in the price level
      1. In countries whose governmental budgets were unbalanced
        1. Early European experiences
          1. Moulton, Money and Banking, pp. 89-95; 144-148
          2. Fisher, pp. 252-256
          3. Seligman, Currency Inflation and Public Debts
          4. Johnson, Money and Currency, ch. 14
          5. Walker Money ch. 16
          6. [*]Cannan, The Paper Pound of 1797-1821; contains the text of the Bullion Report
          7. Sumner, History of American Currency, ch. 2 and the appendix, pp. 311-324; contains the text of the Bullion Report
          8. [*]Hawtrey, Currency and Credit, 1st. and 2nd. Editions, chs. 15 and 16; 3rd edition, chs. 17 and 18
          9. Andreades, A History of the Bank of England, pp. 161-242
          10. [?]Angell, The Theory of International Prices, ch. 3
            [Harris, Assignat]
        2. American experience: pre-war
          [D C Barrett, Greenbacks]

          1. White, Money and Banking, Book II, pp. 79-192
          2. Moulton, Money and Banking, pp. 148-199; 210-248
          3. Hepburn, History of Currency in the United States, chs. 2, 11 and 13; but see also the table of contents
          4. Sumner, especially pp. 1-59 and 189-227
          5. Johnson, Money and Currency, pp. 272-290
          6. [Best]Mitchell, History of Greenbacks, especially Part I, chs. 1 and 2; and Part II, ch. 10
          7. Noyes, Forty Years of American Finance, chs. 1-3
          8. Fisher, pp. 256-265
          9. Walker, Ch. 15
        3. American experience: World War
          1. Garrett, Government Control over Prices (published by the War Trade Board), pp. 23-59.
          2. Comptroller’s Reports. See, for example, that for 1926, especially pp. 268-282.
          3. Annual Reports of the Secretary of the Treasury; that for 1920, pp. 104-6; 413-16.
          4. Federal Reserve Bulletins.
          5. The Statistical Bulletin of the Standard Statistics Company.
          6. Annual Report of the Federal Reserve Board for 1926; especially pp. 40-2; 134; 142-3; and 220.
          7. The Review of Economic Statistics for July, 1927; pp. 121-141.
          8. Hardy and Cox, Forecasting Business Conditions, chs. 19-22 and Appendix A.
        4. European experience: World War
          Great Britain

          1. [*]Young, John Parke, European Currency and Finance (U. S. Senate Commission of Gold and Silver Inquiry). Vol. I, pp. 273-306; 442-69.
            [Something (from items 2-9)]
          2. Withers, Bankers and Credit, chs. 2, 4, and 5.
          3. Kirkaldy, British Finance, 1914-1921.
          4. Shaw, Currency, Credit and the Exchanges, chs. 1 and 3.
          5. Hawtrey, Monetary Reconstruction.
          6. Keynes, A Treatise on Money, Vol. II, pp. 170-89.
          7. Jack, The Restoration of European Currencies, ch. 2.
          8. Robertson, revised edition, ch. 6.
          9. Harris, Monetary Problems of the British Empire, pp. 65-82, 157-168.

          France

          1. [*]Rogers, The Process of Inflation in France, chs. 6, 11, and 12.
          2. Dulles, The French Franc, 1914-1928, chs. 1, 7, 8 and 9.
          3. Young, Vol. I, pp. 307-46; 470-93.
          4. Moulton and Lewis, The French Debt Problem.
          5. Jack, ch. 7.

          Germany

          1. [*]Graham, Exchange, Prices, and Production in Hyper-Inflation: Germany, 1920-1923, pp. 3-173.
          2. Young, Vol. I, pp. 387-430; 522-42.
          3. Rogers, ch. 7
          4. Jack, ch. 6.
          5. Moulton and McGuire, Germany’s Capacity to Pay.
          6. Keynes, Economic Consequences of the Peace.
          7. Schacht, Stabilization of the Mark.

          Austria

          1. [*]de Bordes, The Austrian Crown, pp. 144-229.
          2. Young, Vol. II, pp. 9-25, 291-297.
          3. Jack, ch. 10

          Some general references on the theory of international prices.

          1. Mill, Book III, chs. 20-22.
          2. Young, Vol. I, pp. 29-49.
          3. Taussig, Principles of Economics, first edition, Vol. I, pp. 458-462.
          4. Viner, Canada’s Balance of International Indebtedness, pp. 191-255.
          5. Cassel, Money and Foreign Exchange after 1914, pp. 137-169, 187-202.
          6. Keynes, Monetary Reform, pp. 95-116.
          7. Taussig, International Trade, pp. 34-42, 337-408; but especially pp. 337-358.
          8. Angell, The Theory of Internaitonal Prices, chs. 7, 14-17.
      2. During a peace-time business cycle.
        1. [*]Mitchell, Business Cycles: The Problem and its Setting, ch. 2.
        2. Mitchell, Business Cycles (1913), pp. 6-18.
        3. Pigou, Industrial Fluctuations, Part I, chs. 8, 12-17; but particularly chs. 8 and 12.
        4. Cassel, Theory of Social Economy, chs. 17 and 19, and pp. 458-467.
        5. Keynes, A Treatise on Money, Vol. I, chs. 18 and 19.
        6. Fisher, ch. 4.
        7. Foster and Catchings, Money, particularly ch. 20, but also ch. 18.
        8. Foster and Catchings, Profits, last chapter.
        9. Anderson, ch. 10.
        10. Laughlin, pp. 92-112.
        11. Adams, Economics of Business Cycles, pp. 198-233.
        12. Hansen, Business Cycle Theory, chs. 1 and 6.
        13. Wagemann, Economic Rhythm, chs. 18 and 19.
        14. Copeland, Two Hypotheses Concerning the Equation of Exchange, in the Journal of the American Statistical Association, Proceedings, 1929, pp. 146-48.
        15. Copeland, Recent Changes in Our Wholesale Price Level, in the Journal of the American Statistical Association, Proceedings, 1930, pp. 164-169.
        16. Copeland, Special Purpose Indexes for the United States, 1919-1927, in the Journal of the American Statistical Association for June, 1929, pp. 109-122.
        17. Some convenient sources of data:
          1. Hardy and Cox, Appendix A.
          2. Schluter, The Pre-War Business Cycle
          3. Standard Statistics Bulletin
          4. Federal Reserve Bulletin
          5. Annual Reports of the Federal Reserve Board
          6. Survey of Current Business
      3. During a longer period covering several cycles.
        1. Cassel, Theory of Social Economy, pp. 467-473.
        2. Fisher, chs. 10-12 and respective appendices.
        3. Laughlin, Money and Prices, chs. 2-4, and 6.
        4. Anderson, ch. 19.
        5. Davis, The Quantity Theory and Recent Statistical Studies, in the Journal of Political Economy for March, 1921, pp. 213-221.
        6. Working, Prices and the Quantity of the Circulating Medium, 1890-1921, in the Quarterly Journal of Economics for 1922-23, pp. 228-256.
        7. Working, Bank Deposits as a Forecaster of the General Price Level, in the Review of Economic Statistics for 1926, pp. 120-133.
        8. Snyder, New Measures in the Equation of Exchange, in the American Economic Review for December, 1924, pp. 699-713.
        9. Edie, Gold Production and Prices before and after the World War.
        10. Burns, The Quantity Theory and Price Stabilization, in the American Economic Review for December, 1929, pp. 561-573.
        11. Kitchin; Berridge; Coyle; a series of articles on the production and consumption of gold, in the Review of Economic Statistics for 1920-21, 1924-26, and 1929.

[Business cycle

Hawtry Trade & Credit. “Trade Cycle”
J. M. Clark JPE Mar 1917 “Business Acceleration & law of demand”Overhead Costs ch 19, esp. pp. 386-96]

Source: Columbia University Libraries, Manuscript Collections. Albert Gailord Hart Papers. Box 60. Folder “Mints, Money 1932”.

Categories
Chicago Courses Syllabus

Chicago. Banking Theory and Monetary Policy. Mints, 1942

“Lloyd Mints, though less brilliant and exciting than Viner, served the same function for us in monetary theory that Viner did in price theory. His Economics 330 and 331 introduced us to the organic core of monetary theory. Like Viner, Mints concentrated on the fundamentals, not on institutional arrangements. He was thorough and meticulous in his presentations and, again, like Viner, assigned us readings ranging over a wide variety of views.”
Rose Friedman in Milton and Rose D. Friedman, Two Lucky People: Memoirs (1998), p. 38.

________________________________________________

E: MONEY, BANKING, AND BUSINESS CYCLES

  1. Money.—An examination of various theories of the factors which determine the value of money in the short and in the long run. Prerequisite: Economics 230 [Mints’ course, Introduction to Money and Banking] or equivalent. Summer, 1:30; Autumn, 2:30; Mints.
  1. Banking Theory and Monetary Policy.—Theories upon which the Federal Reserve Act is based; the validity of these theories; and the possible objectives and techniques of central-bank and monetary management. Prerequisite: Same as for Economics 330. Summer, Winter, 2:30, Mints.

Source: Announcements, The University of Chicago, Vol. XLI, No. 10 (April 25, 1941). The College and the Divisions for the Sessions of 1941-42, p. 310.

________________________________________________

NOTE: The following reading list for Lloyd Wynn Mints’ course “Banking and Monetary Policy” (Winter Quarter of 1942) was hand-marked by Norman Kaplan with sufficient detail to warrant including his notes with the original reading list. Everything in italics and within square brackets, [], are Kaplan’s additions. A few non-italicized corrections/comments of mine are inside parentheses within the square brackets [()].

The identical printed reading list can be found at the Hoover Institution Archives, Milton Friedman’s papers (Box 5, Folder 12: Student years), together with other course reading lists. Since Milton Friedman himself never took this course according to his own course records and his copy of the reading list for Economics 331 definitely looks to be of a later vintage (at least less worn) from that of his reading list for Economics 330, we cannot conclude with any certainty that the reading list remained completely unchanged for the entire decade 1932-42.

________________________________________________

ECONOMICS 331
BANKING AND MONETARY POLICY

[Lloyd Mints, University of Chicago, Winter Quarter 1942]

  1. Theoretical and historical foundations of the Federal Reserve Act
    1. Theoretical
      1. Smith, The Wealth of Nations, part of Book II, chapter 2; in Everyman’s edition, pages 266-286 [in Vol I; for sake of completeness, Vol II]; in Cannan’s edition, pages 285-304
        [Read]
      2. Ricardo, Reply to Mr. Bosanquet’s Practical Observations on the Report of the Bullion Committee, chapter 5; in Gonner’s edition of Ricardo’s essays, pages 113-119
      3. Mill, Principles of Political Economy, Book III, chapter 24
      4. Scott, Money and Banking; in the second edition, pages 147-176
      5. Willis, The Federal Reserve, pages 46-84, 176-191
      6. Warburg, The Discount System in Europe (The National Monetary Commission)
      7. Dunbar, The Theory and History of Banking, chapters 3, 5, and 6
      8. Agger, Organized Banking, pages 31-33, 37-63, 140-174
        [Read pp. 31-33]
      9. Conant, The Principles of Money and Banking, Vol. II, pages 17-110, 143-163
      10. Moulton, Commercial Banking and Capital Formation, in the Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 26 (1918), pages 705-731
      11. Cannan, The Meaning of Bank Deposits, in Economica for January, 1921, pages 28-36
      12. Phillips, Bank Credit, chapter 3
        [Read]
      13. Angell and Ficek, The Expansion of Bank Credit, in the Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 41 (1933), pages 1-32, 152-193
        [Read Viner, Trade, pp. 218-288]
    2. Historical: The development of the Bank of England and the London money market
      1. Dunbar, The Theory and History of Banking, the chapter on the Bank of England
        [Read]
      2. Feavearyear, The Pound Sterling, A History of English Money
      3. Andreades, A History of the Bank of England
      4. Bagehot, Lombard Street, chapters 3, 7, 9-12
      5. Whitaker, Foreign Exchange, the chapter on “Foreign Money Market Factors”; in the first edition, chapter 8
        [Read]
      6. Leaf, Banking, chapters 3, 7 and 8
      7. Willis and Beckhart, Foreign Banking Systems, chapter 17
      8. Report of the Committee on Finance and Industry (The Macmillan Report), chapter 4
      9. The Report of the Bullion Committee; to be found in “The Paper Pound of 1797-1821,” edited by Cannan
        [Read]
      10. Gregory, the introduction to the reprint of the “History of Prices,” by Tooke and Newmarch; especially pages 69-91
    3. Historical: the development of banking in the United States before 1913
      1. Dewey, State Banking before the Civil War; and Chaddock, the Safety Fund Banking System in New York, 1829-1866 (The National Monetary Commission)
      2. Hepburn, History of Currency in the United States
      3. Noyes, The War Period of American Finance
      4. Sprague, Crises Under the National Banking System, chapter 1
        [*Read]
      5. Davis, Origin of the National Banking System
      6. The appropriate chapters in any good economic history of the United States
        [Read]
      7. Miller, Banking Theories in the United States before 1860
  1. The organization and operation of the Federal Reserve system
      1. Hardy, Credit Policies of the Federal Reserve System
        [Read]
      2. Burgess, The Reserve Banks and the Money Market
        [Read]
      3. Currie, The Suppply and Control of Money in the United States
        [Read a little if you have time]
      4. Willis and Steiner, Federal Reserve Banking Practice
        [Omit]
      5. Annual Report of the Federal Reserve Board for 1923, pages 3-39
        [*Read. Written by Walter W. Stewart, Mints thinks. Represents position of old Board which was homogeneous & consistent until 1934.]
      6. Woodworth, Supplement to Kilborne’s “Principles of Money and Banking” (1934; on recent developments)
      7. The Federal Reserve Bulletin for September, 1935 (the banking act of 1935)
      8. Huffman, Expansion Possibilities of Our Banking System, in the Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 34 (1926), pages 717-741.
        [Read if you want to]
        [added: Willis, Federal Reserve (not Res. System, a later book cf. A.5 for pages) 1st 2 or 3 chapters on what it was they were interested in in getting banking reform]
  1. The Problem of Monetary Policy
      1. Keynes, The Means to Prosperity
        [Omit]
      2. ________, Monetary Reform, pages 167-222[Read, not so important]
      3. ________, A Treatise on Money, Vol. I, pages 185-220, Vol. II, pages 211-408
        [Omit]
      4. Hawtrey, Trade Depression and the Way Out; in the first edition, pages 68-84
        [Read this or ch. 8 (of The Art of Central Banking by Hawtrey)]
      5. ________, The Art of Central Banking, chapters 5,7, and 8
        [(Read) ch. 8 or pp. 68-84 (of Trade Depression and the Way Out by Hawtrey)]
      6. Whittlesey, Banking and the New Deal (Public Policy Pamphlet No. 16)
        [Read if you want to]
      7. Fisher, 100% Money
        [Read if you don’t understand 100% money]
      8. Gayer, Monetary Policy and Economic Stabilization
        [Read if you want to]
      9. Report of the Committee on Finance and Industry (the Macmillan Report)
        [Read if you want to]
      10. Simons, Currency Systems and Commercial Policy; in the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into National Policy in International Economic Relations, pages 344-349
        [Read]
      11. ________, Rules versus Authorities in Monetary Policy, in the Journal of Political Economy for February, 1936
        [Read Esp.]
      12. ________, A Positive Program for Laissez Faire (Public Policy Pamphlet No. 15)
        [Read]
      13. Gregory, The Gold Standard and its Future
        [Read if you want to]
      14. Hansen, Economic Stabilization in an Unbalanced World, pages 277-323
        [Read]
      15. Robertson, Banking Policy and the Price Level
        [ Written as a reaction against stable price level protagonists.]
      16. ________, Theories of Banking Policy, in “Economic Essays and Addresses,” by Pigou and Robertson, pages 95-115
        [Also in Robertson’s Essays in Monetary Theory]
      17. Harrod, The Expansion of Credit in an Advancing Community, in Economica, New Series, Vol. I (1934), pages 287-299
        [Omit]
      18. Durbin, The Problem of Credit Policy, pages 80-87, 109-241
        [Omit]
      19. Mahr, Monetary Stability (Public Policy Pamphlet No. 9)
        [Omit]
      20. Cassel, A Theory of Social Economy; in the McCabe translation, pages 414-419, 473-481
        [You might read this if you want to]

[Read these:

Henry Villard, “Federal Reserve System’s Monetary Policy in 1931 & 1932.” JPE (To be read in connection with II)

L.V. Chandler, “Monopolistic Elements in Commercial Banking” JPE
G. L. Bach, “Monetary Policy & the Price Level”, typewritten condensation of doctoral dissertation

Optional on gold vs. Paper

C. R. Whittlesy, International Monetary Issues, chs. 4-7 (for paper)
F. A. Hayek, Monetary Nat’lism & Internat’l Stability (for gold)
Gregory, pro-gold standard
Heilperin (a book Mints can’t remember published in last 3 years)

You should read some in:

Hansen, Fiscal Policy & Business Cycles, ch. 15 esp.]

________________________________________________

Source: Kaplan, Norman Maurice. Papers, [Box 3, Folder 6], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

Image Source: From a Japanese webpage that certainly appears to be about the Chicago School(s) of Economics. Here is the link to the picture of Mints.

 

Categories
Chicago Columbia Courses Syllabus

Columbia. Friedman Course. Structure Neoclassical Economics 1939-40

In 1939-40 Milton Friedman taught the course Structure of Neo-classical Economics,  Columbia University Extension ub-171/172. The outline and reading assignments from this course were later used as a foundation for the earliest version of Friedman’s Price Theory, Economics 300A, taught in the Autumn Quarter of 1946 at the University of Chicago. In a later posting  and most recently we will see the obvious similarities but for now the following note found among the early Friedman papers for Economics 300A is sufficient to document that link.

Columbia University Extension
Course Outline
Course Reading Assignments

______________________________

­­­­­­­­­­

Tuesday

Dear Nerlove:

The only thing I have on the theory course is the attached outline of a course I gave at Columbia. I shall depart from this at numerous points but, for the moment at least, plan to follow its broad outlines.

I should appreciate it if you would return this when you’re through with it, since I have only one other copy.

[signed]

Milton Friedman

Source: Hoover Institution Archives. Milton Friedman Papers. Box 76, Folder 9 (Ec 300a)

Note: From the location of this note in the folder and the fact that the outline to which is being referred was indeed returned, the note is most likely from 1946. The econometrician Marc Nerlove (b. 1933) would have been too young to be the addressee. Perhaps this was addressed to his father Chicago Business School professor, Samuel Nerlove, or a much older sibling.

______________________________

Columbia University Extension Courses

“With the beginning of the academic year 1910-1911 the financial responsibility for the work of Extension Teaching, as the movement was then known, was assumed by the Trustees of Columbia University…the development of Extension Teaching may be said to be an outgrowth of the striking success of the Summer Session of the University. After ten years’ experience, the Summer Session had more than justified itself, and it was proposed to extend the operation of the principles which had been successful in the Summer Session so as to provide classes and laboratory work at the University, both in the evening and during the day, in other parts of the city, and in neighboring parts of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, for the benefit of those who were not able to avail themselves of the regular courses of instruction. In 1921, by act of the trustees, the title of Extension Teaching was changed to University Extension.”

______________________________

Outline of Course Given at Columbia by M. Friedman
Entitled “Structure of Neo-classical Economics”

A. Pricing of Final Goods [“Pricing of Final Goods Sold on Market” in original]

  1. The nature of economics; the concept of a free enterprise system; general outline of how free enterprise system solves economic problem.
  2. Momentary price
    1. Market demand for a product: demand curve, composite demand, joint demand, dealers’ [apostrophe placement as in original] demand, consumer’s [apostrophe placement as in original] demand
    2. [Momentary] Supply of a product: supply curve, effect of time
    3. Price as set by supply and demand
  3. The demand curve
    1. General
      1. Elasticity of demand
      2. Assumptions underlying demand schedule
      3. Generalization of mathematical school
      4. Statistical demand curves: from time series; from spatial data; [“Engel curves” crossed out in original] cobweb theorem
    2. Demand curve of an individual consumer
      1. Utility analysis
      2. Difficulties with utility analysis
      3. Indifference curve analysis
      4. Difficulties with indifference curve analysis
    3. Demand curve for the product of an individual firm [“Demand curve for the product of an individual producer” in original]
      1. Competitive vs. monopolistic
      2. Relevance of anticipations
      3. Marginal revenue
    4. Short run supply
      1. Economics of individual firm
        1. [Crossed out in original “a. Production function. Law of diminishing returns”] Perfect competition: producer must decide what to produce, how to produce it, how much to produce
        2. Monopolistic conditions: producer must decide what to produce, how to produce it, price or how much to produce [In original last item reversed: “how much to produce or price”]
        3. Cost curves for individual firm
      2. Widespread importance of marginal concepts
      3. Relation of cost curves of individual firm to supply curve of industry under competition
      4. Different kinds of monopolistic conditions: monopolistic competition, oligopoly, duopoly
      5. Supply under monopolistic competition: impossibility of defining industry, or supply curve for industry; [following not in original] implications for practical usefulness of theory of monopolistic competition
      6. Law of diminishing returns
      7. Translation of physical law of diminishing returns into economic cost curves
      8. Statistical cost curves: how reconcile declining marginal cost curves with theoretical expectations? [Original: “Statistical cost curves: how can declining marginal cost curves be reconciled with theory?”]
    5. Long run supply
      1. Implications of linear homogeneous production function: constant costs
      2. Effect of indivisibilities and discontinuities
      3. Pecuniary factors making for decreasing or increasing cost[s]
      4. Internal and external economies of scale
      5. Social and private economies and diseconomies of scale

[Crossed out “6. Joint Demand and Supply (Transition to Distribution)

1. Joint demand and supply; derived demand
2. Distribution theory if factors must be used in fixed proportions”]

B. Distribution Theory

  1. General: pricing of factors special case of theory of market price [“market” added]
  2. Demand for factors of production
    1. Marginal productivity determines demand by individual firm
    2. Relation between demand by individual firm and demand for factor
    3. Determinants of marginal productivity
    4. Ethical implications of marginal productivity theory: does it justify existing distribution of income? Meaning of exploitation
    5. Relation of marginal productivity analysis to cost curve analysis
      1. Alternative ways of explaining equilibrium of individual firm
      2. Translation of marginal productivity curves into cost curves [Original: “Relation of cost curves to marginal productivity curves”]
      3. Influence of [“changing” in original] number of firms
    6. Monopsony: impossibility of defining demand curve for factor
  3. Supply of labor
    1. Short run
    2. Long run
  4. Wages in different occupations
    1. Equalizing differences
    2. Non-competing groups
    3. Frictional differences [“3. Frictional differences” was added.]
  5. Capital theory
    1. Why marginal productivity analysis not applicable to determination of interest rate [“to determination of interest rate” was added]
    2. Alternative approaches adopted to explain demand curve
      1. Time preference
      2. Time period of production
      3. Knight’s simultaneous equation
      4. Keynes’ marginal efficiency of capital [“of capital” was added]
      5. Comparison of Keynes and Knight [Ordering in original: “Knight and Keynes”]
    3. Supply of capital
      1. Sources of capital
      2. Difficulties in defining capital, in measuring and defining savings [“in defining capital,” not in original]
      3. Relation of savings to rate of interest
    4. Relation between functional distribution of income and personal distribution.

C. General Equilibrium

  1. Concept of interdependence: direct and indirect effects [“direct and indirect effects” not in original]
  2. Walrasian equations of general equilibrium

Source: Hoover Institution Archives. Milton Friedman Papers, Box 75, Folder 1 “Columbia University” for carbon copies of the typed outline. “Original” refers to Friedman’s handwritten draft found in Box 75, Folder 12.

_________________________________

The following list of assignments for Friedman’s course Structure of Neo-classical Economics was taken from a poor carbon copy with Friedman’s handwritten revisions, e.g. the new title would read “Assignments in course given at Columbia by M. Friedman entitled ‘Structure of Neo-classical Economics’”. Also the sections of suggested readings for mathematicians and in mathematics in the Columbia version were apparently intended to be omitted in the later version. We have Friedman’s handwritten notes for the dates of assignments. Lectures (for which typed student notes are available) are designated below with an asterisk (*). These incomplete student notes are misfiled in Hoover Institution Archives,Milton Friedman Papers, Box 75, Folder 12 “University of Minnesota, B.A. 102”. There is a later typed alternate version of this assignment list with a few handwritten additions that I have included below in curved brackets {}.

_________________________________

{Wallis and Friedman—Indifference Curves
Knight—Functions}

Assignments in Economics ub-171-2 [1939-40]
“Structure of Neo-classical Economics”

Instructor: Milton Friedman

(listed in order in which assigned)

First Semester

[Sept 28*:] Alfred Marshall, Principles of Economics, Book III, ch. 2, 3, 4; Book V, ch. 1, 2

[Oct 5*:] Henry Schultz, The Meaning of Statistical Demand Curves, pp. 1-10

{§§5,6,7,8,III, ch 4. Add Marshall Bk III, ch 5 }

E.J. Working, “What do Statistical ‘Demand Curves’ Show?”, Q. J. E. Vol. XLI (1927), pp. 212-27

Frank H. Knight, Risk, Uncertainty and Profit, ch. 3.

Frederic Benham, Economics, pp. 89-100

Suggested

J. R. Hicks, Value and Capital, pp. 11-37

Suggested readings for mathematicians

O. Lange, “On the Determinateness of the Utility Function”, Review of Economic Studies, Vol. I (1933-34), p. 218ff.

R. G. D. Allen, “The Nature of Indifference Curves”, Ibid., p. 110ff

Suggested reading in mathematics

R. G. D. Allen, Mathematical Analysis for Economists, ch. 2, §§ 2.1, 2.2 (pp. 28-36), §2.9 (pp. 54-56); ch. 4, ch. 5, pp. 107-14; ch. 6, Sec. 6.1-6.3 (pp. 134-40), 6.5-6.6 (pp. 143-9), Balance of Chapter 5 also pertinent.

[October 12*: “Assignment: Think over paragraph below. What does it mean? Is it true. Write paragraph or two discussing it.

“Since elasticity measures variations in quantity (demanded or offered) divided by variations in price, the elasticity of demand for anything will be seven times as large for seven similar demanders as it is for one.” A. C. Pigou, A Study in Public Finance, p. 207.”

October 19*. Elasticity of Demand.
October 26*. Usefulness of Elasticity of Demand. Implicit assumptions underlying the demand curve.]

Marshall, Book V, ch. 3, 4, 5, 12, Appendix H

[November 2*. Estimating demand curves. Data difficulties.
November 9*. Problem of the Demand Curve of the Individual Consumer.
November 16*: rest of list for first semester is distributed]

A. L. Meyers, Elements of Modern Economics, ch. 5 (pp. 46-62); 7,8,9 (pp. 83-124)

Joan Robinson, Economics of Imperfect Competition, ch. 2 (pp. 26-43)

J. M. Clark, The Economics of Overhead Cost, ch. 9 (pp. 175-203)

Jacob Viner, “Cost Curves and Supply Curves”, Zeitschrift fuer National oekonomie, Bd. III (Sept., 1931), pp. 23-46

Edward Chamberlin, The Theory of Monopolistic Competition, Ch. 3, sec. 1 (pp. 30-32); 4,5,6 (46-55); ch. 5 (71-116)

M. Abramovitz, “Monopolistic Selling in a Changing Economy”, Q. J. E. , Feb., 1938, pp. 191-214

R. F. Harrod, “Doctrines of Imperfect Competition”, Q. J. E., May, 1934, sec. I, pp. 442-61

[November 23 (Thanksgiving)
November 30
December 7
December 14
December 21 (probably not held)
January 5. Lecture No. 12.
January 12
January 19
Exam Jan 26]

Second Semester

Marshall, {handwritten addition: Book IV, ch. 1, 2, 3} Book V, ch. 6

J.B. Clark, The Distribution of Wealth, Preface, ch. 1, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 23

John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy, Book II, ch. 14

J. R. Hicks, The Theory of Wages, ch. 1-6

Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Book I, ch. 10

Marshall, Book VI, ch. 1-5

Simon Kuznets and Milton Friedman, “Incomes from Independent Professional Practice”, Bulletin 72-3, National Bureau of Economic Research, section 5, appendix
{handwritten addition: Preface V to X; ch. 3, Sec 3 (pp. 81-95; ch. 4, Sec 2, pp. 118-137; Appendix Sec 1, 3, pp. 142-151 and 155-161}

F. H. Knight, “Interest”, in Encyclopoedia of the Social Sciences, also in Ethics of Competition

J. M. Keynes, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, ch. 11-14

Gustav Cassell, Fundamental Thoughts in Economics, ch. 1, 2, 3

Source: Hoover Institution Archives. Milton Friedman Papers, Box 76, Folder 1 “Columbia University” for carbon copies of the typed outline. “Original” refers to Friedman’s handwritten draft and reading assignments (both carbon copy and hand-written) found in Box 75, Folder 12.

Image Source: Columbia University, Columbia 250 Celebrates Columbians Ahead of Their Time.

Categories
Chicago Courses Economists Exam Questions Syllabus

Chicago. Course Notes. Theory of Income and Employment. Marschak. 1948.

The Cowles Commission Archive at Yale provides a copy of Income, Employment, and the Price Level: Notes on Lectures Given at the University of Chicago Autumn 1948 and 1949 by Jacob Marschak. Notes edited by David Fand and Harry Markowitz, 1951. Problems, course examination (Fall 1949) and reading list are included.

See the biographical memoir for Jacob Marschak (1898-1977) written by Kenneth Arrow to appreciate the enormous debt modern economics owes to Marschak.

From the Course Announcements this would have been Economics 335, The Theory of Income and Employment offered in Autumn and Spring quarters.  The notes explicitly refer to only the Autumn Quarters of 1948 and 1949. Oswald H. Brownlee was listed  in the Announcements for the course for the Spring Quarter in 1949.

In the Evsey D. Domar Papers at Duke University’s Rubenstein Library, Box 16 c.1, folder “Final Exams: Johns Hopkins, Stanford, U. of Michigan”, there is a one page mimeographed page of final exam questions for “Economics 335, June 17, 1948” which is the time Domar had an joint appointment Cowles Commission/Department of Economics at the University of Chicago and corresponds to the precise end of the Spring quarter. Thus I consider it highly likely to most probable that Domar taught the Spring term, 1948 of Economics 335.

Image Source: Carl F. Christ. History of the Cowles Commission, 1932-1952.

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Chicago Courses Economists Exam Questions

Chicago. Econ 332. Business Cycle Theory (Lange). Final Exam.1938

 

 

In the previous post, we encountered Martin Bronfenbrenner who was the first choice on a short-list for a position to be filled at Columbia College. In his papers archived at the Duke University Economists’ Papers Project we find a mimeographed copy of the exam for Business Cycle Theory, Economics 332 dated December 21, 1938.  Since Bronfenbrenner was a graduate student at the University of Chicago then and the course number and title exactly coincide with those of the course offered by Oskar Lange in the Autumn Quarter 1938 that ended precisely on December 21, we can confidently match the exam below to Lange’s Business Cycle Theory course.

 

From The University of Chicago, Announcements,Vol. XXXVIII,   No. 7. The College and the Divisions for the Sessions of 1938-39. (p. 325):

E. FINANCE AND FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
[…]

332. Business Cycle Theory.–Historical and systematic analysis of business cycle theory. The main types of explanation. Equilibrium theory and analysis of economic processes. The role of time in the analysis of economic processes. The significance of anticipations. Theoretical and observed fluctuations. The factors which determine the general level of output and employment. The fluctuations of investment and of employment. The role of technical progress. Business-cycle policy. Prerequisite: Economics 211, 301, and 330, or their equivalents. Autumn, 1:30, LANGE.

[Highlighted text was not included in the course description from the 1942 Announcements]

________________________________

December 21, 1938

ECONOMICS 332

Business Cycle Theory

  1. State Say’s law and explain under what monetary conditions it does or does not hold good.
  2. (1) What definition of saving makes saving always equal to investment?
    (2) Indicate two definitions of saving such that saving may differ from investment and explain the meaning of this difference in each case.
    (3) Give two possible meanings of the term ‘hoarding.’
  3. Explain briefly Mr. Keynes’ doctrine concerning:
    (1) the effects on employment of a general and uniform change in money wages
    (2) the effects on total employment of relative changes in money wage rates
  4. Is there any theoretical justification for dividing the business cycle into four phases? Discuss the problem on hand of any theory of the business cycle you like to choose.

 

Source: Duke University, Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Martin Bronfennbrenner Papers, 1939-1995, Box 24, c.1, Folder “Exams. Macro-econ cycles & fiscal policy 1951-76. 1 of 3”.

Image source: Wikipedia/commons.

 

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Chicago Courses

Chicago Economics. Reading Assignments, Economic Theory (Econ 301). Viner, Fall 1932

In Milton Friedman’s papers at the Hoover Institution Archives there is a one page handwritten list of reading assignments for Jacob Viner’s Economics 301 (Economic Theory) in Box 5, Folder 12 and a one page typed list of reading assignments for the course, Box 5 Folder 13, that is nearly identical (with only two discrepancies) to the reading list “reproduced exactly from the document that the editors have in their possession” in the appendix to Jacob Viner: Lectures in Economics 301. Douglas A. Irwin and Steven G. Medema, editors. Transaction Publishers, 2013. The lecture notes taken by Marshall D. Ketchum that have been published by Irwin and Medema were taken in the Summer Quarter 1930, two years before Milton Friedman took the course in the Fall Quarter 1932. Everything below in brackets are my additions/annotations.

______________________

[Handwritten notes by Milton Friedman]

Assignments given by Viner in 301, 1932

Marshall        Bk III  ch 3 + 4Bk V ch 1 + 2

[Alfred Marshall, Principles of Economics (London: Macmillan and Co. 8th ed. 1920).
Book III: On wants and their satisfaction.
Chapter 3: Gradations of consumers’ demand;
Chapter 4: The elasticity of wants.
Book V: General relations of demand, supply and value.
Chapter 1: Introductory. On markets;
Chapter 2: Temporary equilibrium of demand and supply.]

Schultz           Meaning of st[atistical] de[mand] cur[ves] pp 1-10; 25-41.

[Henry Schultz. Statistical Laws of Demand and Supply with Special Application to Sugar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1928. 118 pages]

Mars[hall]      Bk V ch 3, 4, 5, 12App H

[Book V: General relations of demand, supply and value.
Chapter 3: Equilibrium of normal demand and supply;
Chapter 4: The investment and distribution of resources;
Chapter 5: Equilibrium of normal demand and supply, cont., with reference to long and short periods;
Chapter 12: Equilibrium of normal demand and supply, cont., with reference to the law of increasing returns.
Appendix H: Limitations of the use of statical assumptions in regard to increasing return.]

Viner             Cost Curves […]

[…and Supply Curves, Zeitschrift für Nationalökonomie. Bd. 3, H. 1 (1931), pp. 23-46]

Cunynghame “Geometrical Political Economy”, ch. 3

[Henry H. Cunynghame. A Geometrical Political Economy: Being an Elementary Treatise on the Method of Explaining Some of the Theories of Pure Economic Science by Means of Diagrams, Oxford at the Clarendon Press. 1904.
Chapter 3: Demand curve.]

Smart, Introduction to theory of value     pp. 64-83

[Smart, William (1891). An Introduction to the Theory of Value on the Lines of Menger, Wieser, and Böhm-Bawerk. London and New York, Macmillan and Co. 1891.
Chapter 12: Cost of production;
Chapter 13: From marginal products to cost of production;
Chapter 14: From cost of production to product;
Conclusion.]

Böhm-Bawerk:

Ultimate standard of value”, Annals of Am[erican] Academy Sept. [sic] 1894

[Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk. The ultimate standard of value. American Academy of Political and Social Science, Philadelphia. Publications, no. 128. June, 1894, 60 p.]

One word more on ult. st. of v. [ultimate standard of value]   E.J. Dec. 1894

[Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk. One word more on the ultimate standard of value. Economic Journal, Vol. 4, No. 16 (Dec., 1894), pp. 719-725.]

Marshall        Bk V, ch 6;  Bk V, ch 14

[Book V, ch 6: Joint and composite demand. Joint and composite supply.
Book V, ch 14: The theory of monopolies.]

Viner              JPE. 1925 pp 107-111 (objective test of comp.[etitive] price appl[ied] to cem[ent] ind[ustry])

[Jacob Viner, Objective tests of competitive price applied to the cement industry. Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Feb., 1925), pp. 107-111.]

J.S.Mill “Outline of Pol. Economy” Bk II, Ch 11, sec 1Bk I, ch VI, sec 1

[Note: Outline of Political Economy is the title of Nassau Senior’s book.
John Stuart Mill, The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume II – The Principles of Political Economy with Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy (Books I-II), ed. John M. Robson, introduction by V.W. Bladen (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1965).
Book II, ch XI, sec. 1:  Distribution. Of wages.
Book I, ch VI, sec. 1: Production. On circulating and fixed capital.]

Henry George, “Progress + Poverty”         Bk I, ch 1,3,4

[Henry George, Progress and Poverty: An Inquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with Increase of Wealth, The Remedy (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page, & Co. 1912).
Book I: Wages and Capital.
Chapter 1: The current doctrine of wages–its insufficiency;
Chapter 3: Wages not drawn from capital, but produced by labor;
Chapter 4: The maintenance of laborers not drawn from capital.]

F.W. Taussig, Principles, vol II, ch 39, 51

[Frank W. Taussig, Principles of Economics. 2nd revised edition. 2 vols. (New York: Macmillan). 1915. Note: a later 3rd revised edition from 1921 has a chapter 51 “Great fortunes” that does not appear as good a fit to this course’s content, so I conclude the reference is to the second edition.
Chapter 39: Interest, cont. The equilibrium of demand and supply;
Chapter 51: General wages.]

J.B. Clark “Dist[ribution] of Wealth”, ch 1, 7, 8, + Preface

 [John Bates Clark, The Distribution of Wealth: A Theory of Wages, Interest and Profits (New York: Macmillan). 1899.
Chapter I: Issues That depend on Distribution;
Chapter VII: Wages in a Static State, the Specific Product of Labor;
Chapter VIII: How the Specific Product of Labor may be Distinguished.]

F.A. Walker, Political Economy P[reface] + IV, ch 4,5,8 + V [sic, should be VI], sec 5

[Francis Amasa Walker, Political Economy (London: Macmillan) 3rd revised and enlarged edition. 1892.
Part IV: Distribution.
Chapter 4: Profits;
Chapter 5: Wages;
Chapter 8: The reaction of distribution upon production.
Part VI: Some applications of economic principles.
Section V: The doctrine of the wage-fund.]

A. Smith Bk I, ch 10

[Adam Smith An Inquiry into the Naature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Edwin Cannan, 3d. London: Methuen & Co., Ltd. 5th edition, 1904.
Book I, Chapter X: Of wages and profit in the different employments of labour and stock.]

J.S. Mill           Bk II, ch 14

[Book II, ch 14: Distribution. Of the differences of wages in different employments.]

Cairnes “Polit. Econ”, P[reface] + I, ch 3 [art.] 4,5

[J.E. Cairnes. Some Leading Principles of Political Economy Newly Expounded. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers. 1874.
Part I: Value.
Chapter 3: Normal value]

Taussig          Principles, ch 47

[Chapter 47: Differences of wages. Social stratification.]

J. B. Clark Ch 9, 13

[Chapter IX: Capital and Capital-Goods Contrasted;
Chapter XIII: The Products of Labor and Capital, as Measured by the Formula of Rent]

Böhm Bawerk           Bk 2, ch 1-5Bk 5, ch 1-4Bk 6, ch 1,2,4,5,6Bk 7, ch 1,2

[Book II: Capital as instrument of production.
Chapter 1: Introductory;
Chapter 2: Capitalist production;
Chapter 3: Historical development of the conception;
Chapter 4: The true conception of capital;
Chapter 5: The competing conceptions of capital.
Book V: Present and future.
Chapter 1: Present and future in economic life;
Chapter 2: Differences in want and provision for want;
Chapter 3: Unerestimate of the future;
Chapter 4: The technical superiority of present goods.
Book VI: The source of interest.
Chapter 1:  The loan and loan interest
Chapter 2: The profit of capitalist undertaking. Principles of explanation.
Chapter 4: The profit of capitalist undertaking. The labour market;
Chapter 5: The profit of capitalist undertaking. The general subsistence market;
Chapter 6: The profit of capitalist undertaking. The general subsistence market (continued).
Book VII: The rate of interest.
Chapter 1: The rate in isolated exchange;
Chapter 2: The rate in market transactions.]

Marshall                    Bk VI, ch IX

[Book VI: The distribution of the national income.
Chapter 9: Rent of land.]

Ogilvie                       Marshall on Rent      Econ J. 1930

[F.W. Ogilvie. Marshall on Rent. Economic Journal 40 (March) 1930: 1-24]

J.B. Clark        ch 23

[Chapter XXIII: The Relation of All Rents to Value and Thus to Group Distribution]

 Source: Hoover Institution Archives, Milton Friedman Papers Box 5, Folder 12 (Student years)

______________________

[typed list of reading assignments]

Assignments in Viner’s Economics 301
(In order of assignment)

Marshall,        Bk III, ch. 3, 4Bk V, ch. 1, 2

Böhm-Bawerk, Positive Theory of Capital, Bk IV, ch. 4

Schultz, Meaning of Statistical Demand Curves, pp. 1-10, 25-41.

Marshall, Bk. V, ch 3, 4, 5, 12; App. H

Viner, Cost Curves [and Supply Curves, Zeitschrift für Nationalökonomie. Bd. 3, H. 1 (1931), pp. 23-46]

Cunynghame, Geometrical Political Economy, Ch. 3

Smart, Introduction to the Theory of Val., pp. 64-83

B. B. [Böhm-Bawerk], Ultim. Stand. of Val., Ann. of Am. Ac., Sept. 1894

One word More on Ult. S. of V., Econ. Jour., Dec 1894

Marshall,        Bk. V, ch. 6Bk. V, ch. 14

Viner, Objective Tests of Comp. Pr. appl. to the Cem. Ind. JPE, ‘25

J.S. Mill, Outline of Pol Ec. [sic, Principles of Political Economy], Bk II, ch. 11, sec. 1; Bk I, ch. 6 sec. 1

Henry George, Progress and Poverty, Bk I, ch. 1, 3, 4.

F. W. Taussig, Principles, Vol II, ch 39, 51.

J. B. Clark, Distr. of Wealth, ch. 1, 7, 8, preface.

F. A. Walker, Pol. Ec., Part IV, ch. 4, 5. Part VI, Sec. 5

Adam Smith, Bk. I, ch 10

J.S. Mill, Bk II, ch. 14

Cairnes, Pol. Ec., Part I, ch. 3, arts. 4, 5.

Taussig, ch. 47

J. B. Clark, ch. 9, 13

B.B. [Böhm Bawerk], Bk II, ch 1-5; Bk V, ch 1-4; Bk. VI, ch. 1, 2,4,5,6Bk. VII, ch. 1,2.

Marshall, Bk. VI, ch. 9

Ogilvie, Marshall on Rent, Econ. Journ., March, 1930

J. B. Clark, ch. 23

Source:  Hoover Institution Archives, Milton Friedman Papers Box 115, Folder 13 (Class Exams circa 1932-1938)

Image Source: University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-08490, Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

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Chicago Columbia Economists Transcript

Milton Friedman’s Coursework in Economics, Statistics and Mathematics

Before Milton Friedman could be a teacher of economics, he was of course the student of many teachers. This list of his relevant coursework and teachers is complete. I merely add here that his transcript also shows three semesters of college French and four semesters of college German and that he entered Rutgers with advanced credits in French.

Rutgers University
University of Chicago
Columbia University
Dept. of Agriculture Graduate School

Rutgers University (1928-32)

Principles of Economics E. E. Agger 1929-30
Money and Banking E. E. Agger 1930-31
Statistical Methods Homer Jones 1930-31
Business Cycles Arthur F. Burns 1931-32
Economic Research Ivan V. Emelianoff 1931-32
Principles of Insurance Homer Jones 1931-32
College Algebra 1928-29, 1st term
Analytical Geometry 1928-29, 2nd term
Calculus 1929-30
Advanced Calculus 1930-31
Theory of Numbers 1929-30, 2nd term
Theory of Equations 1930-31, 1st term
Differential Equations 1930-31, 2nd term
Analysis 1931-32
Elliptic Integrals 1931-32, 2nd term

 

University of Chicago (1932-33, 1934-35)

Econ 301 Prices and Distribution Theory Jacob Viner Autumn Quarter 1932
Econ 302 History of Economic Thought Frank H. Knight Winter Quarter 1933
Econ 303 Modern Tendencies in Economics Jacob Viner Spring Quarter 1933
Econ 311 Correlation and Curve Fitting Henry Schultz Winter Quarter 1933
Econ 312 Statistical Graphics Henry Schultz Spring Quarter 1933
Econ 330 Graduate Study of Money and Banking Lloyd W. Mints Autumn Quarter 1932
Econ 370 International Trade and Finance Jacob Viner Winter Quarter 1933
Econ 220 Economic History of the United States, not taken for credit Chester Wright Winter Quarter 1935
Econ 220 Economic History of Europe, not taken for credit John U. Nef Autumn Quarter 1934
Labor (visited) Paul H. Douglas  1934-35
Theory of Demand (visited) Henry Schultz  1934-35
Math 306 Introduction to Higher Algebra  E. Dickson Autumn Quarter 1932
Math 341 Calculus of Variations  G. Bliss Autumn Quarter 1932
Math 324 Theory of Algebraic Numbers  A. Albert Winter Quarter 1933
Math 310 Functions of a Complex Variable (not taken for credit) L. M. Graves

 Master’s thesis: An empirical study of the relationship between railroad stock prices and railroad earnings for the period 1921-31.

 

Columbia University (1933-34)

Stat 111-12 Statistical Inference Harold Hotelling Winter/Spring semesters
Econ 117-18 Mathematical Economics Harold Hotelling Winter/Spring semesters
Econ 119 Economic History V. G. Simkhovitch Winter semester
Econ 128 Currency and Credit James W. Angell Spring semester
Econ 211-12 Business Cycles Wesley Claire Mitchell Winter/Spring semesters
Econ 315-16 Economic Theory Seminar John M. Clark, James W. Angell, and Wesley C. Mitchell Winter/Spring semesters
Social Economics (visited) J. M. Clark
Labor (visited) Leo Wolman
Theory (visited) R. W. Souter

 

Department of Agriculture Graduate School (1936-37)

Statistics 17-18 Adjustment of Observations

Source: Assembled from transcripts and course lists kept by Milton Friedman. Hoover Institution Archives, Milton Friedman Papers, Box 5, Folders 11, 13 (Student years).

Image Source: Columbia University, Columbia 250 Celebrates Columbians Ahead of Their Time.