The following set of course materials from the University of Chicago was included in a folder for “Comparative Economic Systems” in Martin Bronfenbrenner’s papers at Duke University. According to his c.v. he would have still been a professor at Carnegie Tech at that time and there is no mention of a visiting professorship at Chicago. As it turns out, I was correct in presuming that this was not a course taught by Bronfenbrenner. The Head of Research and Instruction of the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago Library, Catherine Uecker, consulted the course timetable for the spring quarter 1970 and found that the instructor was Professor Gerhard Emil Otto Meyer.
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Social Sciences 273
Spring 1970
“Wage-Labor and Capital” in
Marxian and Modern Theory
GRADE REQUIREMENTS:
a) term paper
b) final examination
TENTATIVE READING LIST (subject to some changes)
Note: All readings except those labelled as “optional” (Opt.) are required. Each student is expected to read, in addition to all required readings, some agreed-upon optional readings which may, but need not, be taken from the list below. The following readings are more or less systematically listed, not in the order they will be assigned.
- Karl Marx
Capital, vol. I, chs. 4-9; 11-12; 15 (sec. 1-7); 16-19; 25 (sec. 1-4); 32 (chs. 10 and 24 optional).
The Communist Manifesto
Wage-Labor and Capital
Value, Price and Profit
Critique of the Gotha Programme
[These four readings are available in many editions; conveniently combined in K. Marx and F. Engels, Selected Works (paperback, International Publishers)]
The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, trans. By M. Milligan (International Publishers), pp. 65-91, 106-131 (pp. 132-164 optional)
Marx’s “Enquête Ouvrière” (mimeographed)
- Interpretive Materials on Marx’ Theory (in general, and on Labor-Capital Relations in particular)
Sweezy, Paul M., The Theory of Capitalist Development, Introduction and chs. 1-5 (optional, recommended for those who need a general survey of Marxian “economics”)—or
Ernest Mandel, Marxist Economic Theory (2 vols.), ch. 1-5 (optional-alternative to Sweezy)
Sowell, Thomas, Marx’s “Increasing Misery Doctrine” (mimeographed)
Avineri, Shlomo, The Social and Political Thought of Karl Marx chs. 2-4 and 6 (opt.)
Lefebvre, Henri, The Sociology of Marx, ch. 4 (opt.)
Dahrendorf, Ralph, Class and Class Conflict in Industrial Society, ch. I (opt.)
- Modern Economic Theory (especially Wage and Employment Theory):
Hicks, J.R., Theory of Wages (selections) (opt.)
Douglas, Paul H., Theory of Wages (selections) (opt.)
Robertson, D.H., Lectures on Economic-Principles, vol. II, (selections) (opt.)
- Modern Sociological Theory with special regard to Problems of Class, Work and Alienation)
Dahrendorf, Ralph, (see above under B), ch. 2 ff. (opt.)
Bendix, R. and S.M. Lipset, Reader on Class, Status and Power (First and Second Editions) (selections) (opt.)
Arendt, Hanna, The Human Condition (selections) (opt.)
Bell, Daniel, The End of Ideology, esp. chs. 12 and 16 (Opt.)
Ruitenbeck, H.M. (ed.), Varieties of Modern Social Theory (selections) (opt.)
Blauner, Robert, Alienation and Freedom (selections) (opt.)
Josephson, E. & M., (ed.), Man Alone. Alienation in Modern Society. (selections) (opt.)
- Marxian and Modern Theory Confronting Each Other
Horowitz, David. (ed.), Marx and Modern Economics, pp. 68-116 (other essays opt.)
Robinson, Joan, An Essay on Marxian Economics (opt.)
Lange, Oskar, Political Economy, vol. I (selections) (opt.)
Schumpeter, Joseph, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, part I (opt.)
Aron, Raymond, Main Currents in Sociological Thought, vol. I, pp. 107-180 (opt.)
Kerr, Clark, Marshall, Marx and Modern Times (opt.)
Wolfson, Murray, A Reappraisal of Marxian Economics, ch. 1-3 (opt.) (Penguin Bks.)
Samuelson, Paul, “Wages and Interest: Marxian Economic Models” Am. Ec. Review, Dec. 1957) (opt.)
Selected theoretic and empirical materials on technological unemployment and automation (to be announced).
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Social Sciences 273
Spring 1970
“Wage-Labor and Capital” in
Marxian and Modern Theory
Supplementary List of Optional Readings
1) to Section B:
Solow, Robert, “The Constancy of Relative Shares” in American Economic Review, September 1958.
Ossowski, S., Class Structure in the Social Consciousness
Wesolowski, W., “Marx’s Theory of Class Domination” in: Lobkowitz, H., ed., Marx and the Western World
2) to Section C:
Dobb, M, Wages
Rees, R., The Economics of Trade Unions (both these books are published in ‘Cambridge-Chicago Economic Handbooks’ series)
Hicks, J.R., Theory of Wages has been published in a second edition with important additions and commentary
3) to section D:
Bottomore, T.B., Classes in Modern Society (paperback)
4) to section E:
Robinson, Joan, Economic Philosophy, ch. II
Adelman, Irma, Theories of Economic Growth and Development, ch. 5
5) on technological unemployment and automation:
Lederer, Emil, Technical Progress and Unemployment (International Labour Office) 1938
Woytinsky, W., Three Sources of Unemployment (International Labor Office) 1935
Kaehler, Alfred, “The Problem of Verifying the Theory of Technological Unemployment” in Social Research, vol. II, 1935
Neisser, Hans P., “Permanent Technological Unemployment” in Am. Economic Review, March 1942, pp. 50-71
“The Triple Revolution” in Fromm, E., ed., Socialist Humanism, pp. 441-461
Marcuse, H., Five Lectures, esp. lecture V, “The End of Utopia”
Brunner, Karl, “The Triple Revolution and a New Metaphysics” in New Individualist Review, Spring 1966 (vol. 4, no. 3)
Silberman, Charles E., and the edition of Fortune, The Myth of Automation
Brozen, Yale, Automation: The Impact of Technological Change (1963)
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Social Sciences 273
Spring 1970
“Wage-Labor and Capital” in
Marxian and Modern Theory
Take-home Examination:
Directions: Write two essays, one from group A (topics 1-5) and one from group B (topics 6-11). Devote approximately one hour on each essay. Return the examination to Gates-Blake 431 or 428 not later than Thursday, June 11, at 12:30 P.M. Indicate on your examination a) which kind of grade you expect (P., I. or letter grade) and b) topic of oral report or term paper you have completed or intend to write. If a member of the class wishes to obtain a letter grade (i.e. grade other than P or I) this quarter, the term paper should be handed in not later than Friday, June 12, at 5 P.M. (in G-B 431).
(In none of the topics listed below, will you be graded on the basis of the position taken by you, but rather with regard to the quality of your analysis or argument).
Group A (Choose one topic)
Topic 1. Explain (as far as possible in your own terms) what Marx means by the “wage-labor system” as distinguished from other types of social-economic organization.
Topic 2. In what respects did Marx modify (or retain) his views concerning increasing working class misery (as expressed in the Communist Manifesto) in his later writings?
Topic 3. How do, according to Marx, different kinds of capitalistic accumulation processes affect the position of wage-laborers and the general wage-labor system?
Topic 4. How does Marx conceive the end of the capitalistic system?
Topic 5. Explain the relationship between alienation, exploitation and class domination in Marx (i.e. the younger or more mature one; or both).
Group B (Choose one topic)
Topic 6. Characterize broadly the major differences in the general approach (or “method”) of Marxian theory and “modern” social science.
Topic 7. In what substantive respects do major Marxian theories appear to be paralleled (or confirmed) or contradicted by results of ‘modern’ social sciences?
Topic 8. Does the abandonment of Marx’ labor-theory of value (and the consequent particular theory of surplus value and exploitation) necessarily imply a stand in support of private property and private enterprise?
Topic 9. Assuming that Marxian (classical and present-day) and non-Marxian (“modern”) social analysis are both live options and both faced with new difficulties, problems, and tasks, how would you broadly assess the most fruitful directions(s) of “praxis”-oriented social enquiry?
Topic 10. (If you did not choose topic 5 in Group A): Restate Marx’s conception of “freedom” (with regard to its most relevant social-historical dimensions and stages) in brief contrast with alternative conceptions of freedom.
Topic 11. Choose one of the optional readings not used by you for term paper or oral report and use it either as basis for comment on Marx’ views (concerning the condition of wage-labor) or, vice versa, as object of comments from a “Marxian” point of view.
Source: Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Economists’ Papers Archive. Martin Bronfenbrenner Papers, Box 23, Folder “Comparative Economic Systems a.d.”.
Image Source: From the 65th birthday dinner honoring Gerhard Meyer at Hutchinson Commons. University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-04472, Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.