Harvard. Economics of Socialism. Mason and Sweezy, 1938

Between one slice of two weeks of pre-Marxian socialism and a slice of two weeks of the economics of planning, Mason and Sweezy offered their students a full portion of Marxian economics with an added dash of Leninism. This posting provides the enrollment, syllabus and final examination questions for 1938. Future Nobel prize laureate James Tobin was a student in the course and he took excellent notes! Here  a link to the Economics of Socialism that Paul Sweezy taught by himself in 1940.

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[Course Enrollment: Economics of Socialism]

[Economics] 11b ²hf. (formerly 7d). Professor Mason and Dr. P. M. Sweezy.—Economics of Socialism.

1 Graduate; 27 Seniors; 23 Juniors; 1 Sophomore: Total 52.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard and Reports of Departments for 1937-38, p. 85.

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ECONOMICS 11 b
Outline and Reading
1937 – 38

Week of
Feb. 7-12 Mason	a.  Outline of Course b.  Utopian and Scientific Socialism c.  Nature of Socialism as Utopia
Feb. 14-19 Mason	a.  Saint-Simon b.  Fourier c.  Robert Owen
Reading: Engels, Anti-Dühring, Part III Strachey, Theory and Practice of Socialism, Part III Gide and Rist, History of Economic Doctrines, Book II, Chs. 2 & 3
Feb. 21-26 Mason	a.  Life and Works of Marx and Engels b.  Dialectical materialism and c.  Historical materialism
Reading: Riazanov, Marx and Engels
Feb. 28-Mar. 5 Mason	a.  Theory of Classes b.  Theory of the State c.  The State and Revolution
Reading:    Handbook of Marxism [Burns], Ch. I (Communist Manifesto) Ch. IV (Class Struggles in France), Ch. V (18th Brumaire), Ch. VII (Civil War in France), Ch. XX (Introduction to the Critique of Political Economy)
Mar. 7-12 Mason	a.  Theory of Value b.  Theory of Value c.  General Tendencies of Capitalist Development
Mar. 14-19 Mason	a.  Concentration and Centralization of Capital b.  Monopoly Problem in Capitalism c.  According to Marx and Lenin
Mar. 21-26 Mason	a.  Marxian and Modern Views on b.  Wages and Technological Unemployment c.  Marxian Theory of Crises
Mar. 28-Apr. 2 Sweezy	a.  Marxian Theory of Crises b.  Imperialism c.  Imperialism
Reading: Handbook of Marxism, Ch. XXI (Capital) Capital, Vol. I, Part VII, Ch. XXV, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 Lenin, Imperialism VACATION
Apr. 11-16 Mason	a. b.  The Socialist Movement After Marx c.
Apr. 18-23 Mason	a. b.  Marxian Schools of Thought
Reading: Sidney Hook, Towards the Understanding of Karl Marx, Part I Further assignment to be announced.
Apr. 25-May 7 Sweezy	Two weeks to be devoted to the following topics: 1.  Marxian and Orthodox Economics [Handwritten note:] Rev of Ec Studies June ‘35 2.  The Allocation of Resources in Socialist Society
Reading: Lange, Marxian Economics and Modern Economic Theory                         [Handwritten note:] Rev of Ec Studies June ‘35 Hayek, Collectivist Economic Planning, Chs. I, III, V Pigou, Socialism versus Capitalism Reading Period: Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Soviet Communism, Vol. II Chs. VIII, IX
	[Handwritten additions:] Ch 6 Lippman Oct. 36 Rev of Ec Studies—Lange—On the Economic Theory of Socialism—Taussig memorial—Sweezy—Economist in Socialist State.

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1937-38
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
ECONOMICS 11b/2 

I

(About one hour)
Reading Period Question

1. What features of the Russian economic system do you think could be adopted by a capitalist country? What features seem to you to be peculiarly the product of socialism and hence inapplicable under a capitalist system? 

II

Answer four questions

2. “The most egregious error committed by the Marxist theorists is in misunderstanding and underrating the strength of the middle classes.” Discuss.

 

3. What arguments does Mises use to support his claim that socialism is impossible? Do you agree with these arguments? State your reasons.

 

4. Summarize the fundamentals of Lenin’s theory of imperialism. What do you regard as the particular merits or weaknesses of this theory?

 

5. “To what extent is it true to say that the doctrine of the ‘withering away of the state’ implies anarchism as the ultimate goal of Marxian socialism?

 

6. State and criticize the Marxian theory of value.

 

7. Do you think that Marxists are justified in regarding crises and depressions as inevitable under capitalism? What grounds are there for believing that they might be eliminated under socialism?

 

Final. 1938

Source: Yale University Library, Manuscripts and Archives. James Tobin Papers, Box 6.

Image Source: Mason and Sweezy portraits from the Harvard Album 1939.