Harvard. Course enrollment, description, and final exam for theory and methods of taxation. Bullock, 1904-1905

The field of public finance was covered at Harvard in 1904-05 in two semester courses taught by Charles Jesse Bullock. The previous post contains material from the first course in the sequence, an introduction to public finance. The second semester’s focus was on the theory and methods of taxation with enrollment figures, a course description and the final exam transcribed and posted below.

A short bibliography “for serious students” on taxation published in 1910 by Bullock has been transcribed earlier (with many links to the items).

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Course Enrollment
1904-05

Economics 7b ²hf. Asst. Professor Bullock. — Theory and Methods of Taxation.

Total 45: 5 Graduates, 8 Seniors, 16 Juniors, 12 Sophomores, 1 Freshman, 3 Others.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1904-1905, p. 74.

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Course Description
1904-05

[Economics] 7b ²hf. The Theory and Methods of Taxation. Half-course (second half-year). Mon., Wed., Fri., at 10. Asst. Professor Bullock.

In this course the tax systems of England, France, and Germany are first studied. Then the theory of taxation is examined, attention being given to such subjects as the classification, the just distribution, and the incidence of taxes. Finally, the existing methods of taxation in the United States, will receive careful consideration.

Systematic reading will be required, and most of the exercises conducted by the method of informal discussion. Graduate Students and candidates for Honors will be given the opportunity of writing theses.

The course is open to students who have taken Economies 1.

Source: Harvard University. Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Division of History and Political Science Comprising the Departments of History and Government and Economics, 1904-05 (May 16, 1904), pp. 41-42.

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ECONOMICS 7b²
Year-end Examination, 1904-05

1. Make a list of the different taxes employed in the United States, and state by what governments — federal, state, or local — each tax is employed.
2. What taxes are employed by (a) the German Empire, (b) the Kingdom of Prussia, (c) the local governing bodies of Prussia?
3. What taxes are employed by the national government in England which our own national government does not employ? How can you account for the differences between the two systems of national taxation?
4. Compare the British and the Prussian income taxes.
5. Describe the taxation of inheritances in Great Britain and in France.
6. Write a brief history of direct apportioned taxes levied by our national government.
7. What are the chief constitutional limitations upon the taxing power of the states of the American Union?
8. If called upon to draft a general corporation tax for an Ameri can state, what plan would you follow in order to make the tax (a) constitutional, (b) productive, (c) as just as possible?
9. Describe the taxation of mortgages in Massachusetts and California, and describe the results secured in each state.
10. Discuss in some detail the methods of taxing personal property in Massachusetts and the results secured.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Harvard University, Examination Papers 1873-1915. Box 7, Bound volume: Examination Papers, 1904-05;  Papers Set for Final Examinations in History, Government, Economics,…,Music in Harvard College (June, 1905), p. 27.

Image Source: Library of Congress. Puck, 23 June 1909. “The fountain of taxation”. Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann, Puck Building.

A large fountain with four basins, at top, supported by a crown and scepters, is a basin labeled “Millionaire”, next resting on a cornucopia is “Well-To-Do”, then the “Middle Class” basin supported by an octopus, and at the bottom is the largest basin labeled the “Laboring Class”. The fountain is standing on a platform labeled “Tax System”; the water, cascading from top down is labeled “Burden of Taxation”.