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Courses Harvard Socialism Syllabus

Harvard Economics. Course. Economics of Socialism. Sweezy. 1940

The course “Economics of Socialism” (Economics 11b) was taught during the Spring Semester 1940 by Dr. Paul M. Sweezy. According to the Report of the President of Harvard College and Reports of Departments for 1939-40 (p. 99), sixty students were enrolled:  20 Seniors, 25 Juniors, 6 Sophomores and 9  out-of-course candidates for the Bachelor’s degree.

For biographical detail about Paul Sweezy, take to the following link at the Monthly Review website for the Memorial Service for Paul Marlor Sweezy (1910-2004) by John Bellamy Foster (Feb 27, 2004).

Addition April 18, 2017:  Final Examination for Sweezy’s course “Economics of Socialism” in 1940.

Fun Fact:  John F. Kennedy took this course in the second semester of his senior year according to the copy of his Harvard College record at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

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ECONOMICS 11b
1939-40

 

Outline and Assignments—First Eight Weeks

The first eight weeks (to spring recess) will be devoted to the socialist critique of capitalist economy. The last four weeks will be devoted to the problems of socialist economy. This sheet covers only the first eight weeks.

Assigned readings are taken from the following works:

  1. Böhm-Bawerk, E. v., Karl Marx and the Close of his System
  1. Burns, Emile, Handbook of Marxism.
  1. Dobb, Maurice, Political Economy and Capitalism.
  1. Lenin, V. I., Imperialism.
  1. Lenin, V. I., State and Revolution.
  1. Marx, Karl, Capital, Vols. I and III.
  1. Marx, Karl, Value, Price and Profit.
  1. Lange, Oskar, “Marxian Economics and Modern Economic Theory,” Review of Economic Studies, June 1935.

In addition to the assigned reading every student will be expected to submit before the spring recess a report of about 1500 words on one of the following books:

  1. Cole, G. D. H., Life of Robert Owen.
  1. Foster, W. Z., From Bryan to Stalin.
  1. Fox, Ralph, Lenin: a Biography.
  1. Freeman, Joseph, An American Testament.
  1. Hicks, Granville, John Reed, the Making of a Revolutionary.
  1. Hillquit, Morris, Loose Leaves from a Busy Life.
  1. Mayer, Gustav, Friedrich Engels: a Biography.
  1. Mehring, Franz, Karl Marx: the Story of his Life.
  1. Trotsky, Leon, My Life: an Attempt at an Autobiography.
  1. Weir, L.M., The Tragedy of Ramsey Macdonald.

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Outline and Assignments

FIRST WEEK. Marx and Engels; dialectical materialism and historical materialism; classical economics.

Burns, Handbook of Marxism, Chs. I, XIII, XIV, XX.

Ricardo, Principles, Ch. I (Sections I-V inclusive).

SECOND AND THIRD WEEKS. Commodities; the law of value; suplus value; accumulation; the reserve army of labor.

Marx, Capital, Vol. I, Ch. I (sections 1, 4).

Marx, Value, Price and Profit.

Marx, Capital, Vol. I, Ch. XXIII; Ch. XXIV (sections 1, 2 3); Ch. XXV.

FOURTH WEEK. Law of the falling tendency of the rate of profit; crises.

Marx, Capital, Vol. III, Part III.

Dobb, Political Economy and Capitalism, Ch. IV.

FIFTH WEEK. Value calculation and price calculation.

Marx, Capital, Vol. III, Chs. VIII, IX.

Böhm-Bawerk, Karl Marx and the Close of his System, Chs. II, III.

SIXTH WEEK. Theory of Social Classes and the State.

Lenin, State and Revolution.

SEVENTH WEEK. Monopoly and the Theory of Imperialism.

Lenin, Imperialism.

Dobb, Political Economy and Capitalism, Ch. VII.

Lange, “Marxian Economics and Modern Economic Theory.”

EIGHT WEEK. Review.

Book reports due. No additional assignment.

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ECONOMICS 11b
1939-40

Outline and Assignments—Last Four Weeks and Reading Period

Assigned readings are taken from the following works:

  1. Dickinson, H. D., Economics of Socialism (1939).
  1. Pigou, A. C., Socialism vs. Capitalism (1937).
  1. Lange, Oskar and Taylor, F. M., On the Economic Theory of Socialism (1938).

NINTH WEEK (April 7-13). Historical sketch of the economics of a socialist society; demand and cost in a socialist economy.

Dickinson, Economics of Socialism, pp. 24-98.

TENTH WEEK (April 14-20). Prices and incomes in a socialist economy.

Dickinson, Economics of Socialism, pp. 98-166.

ELEVENTH WEEK (April 21-27). Special problems of a socialist economy.

Dickinson, Economics of Socialism, pp. 166-226.

TWELFTH WEEK (April 28-May 4). Income distribution in socialist theory and practice.

Assignment to be announced.

 

READING PERIOD

Read both:

1. Pigou, Socialism vs. Capitalism.

2. Lange and Taylor, On the Economic Theory of Socialism. pp. 55-142.

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Source: Harvard University Archives. Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in Economics, 1895-2003. HUC 8522.2.1. Box 2, Folder (1939-1940, No. 1).