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Exam Questions Harvard Suggested Reading Syllabus

Harvard. Economy of the U.S. Course outline, readings, exam. Leontief, 1945-46

 

 

Not much to say here about the material I have found for the first iteration of Wassily Leontief’s course on the economy of the United States other than I was surprised that his own book, Structure of the American Economy, 1919-1929, was not mentioned among the readings.

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Course Announcement

Economics 12a. The Economy of the United States.

Half-course (fall term). Mon., Wed., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Fri., at 3.  Associate Professor Leontief.

Source: Announcement of the Courses of Instruction offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences during 1945-46. Published in Official Register of Harvard University, Vol. 42, No. 8 (March 31, 1945), p. 36.

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Course Enrollment

[Economics] 12a (fall term) Associate Professor Leontief.—The Economy of the United States.

Total 30: 2 Graduates, 8 Seniors, 5 Juniors 5 Sophomores, 10 Radcliffe.

Source:Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1945-46, in Official Register of Harvard University, Vol. 45, No. 12 (May 20, 1948), p. 58.

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ECONOMICS 12a
The Economy of the United States
Winter Semester, 1945-46

  1. General Interrelation of Industries and Households:
    1. Commodity flow and allocations of commodities and services.
    2. Cost structure of industries and Direct and Indirect demand.
    3. Capital stock and the Balance of Saving and Investment.
    4. Basic determinants of the Economic Structure of the United States: National Resources and Population, State of technical arts, consumers’ behavior, Public Policies
  2. Structural Characteristics of Selected Branches of the National Economy:
    1. Manufacturing
    2. Mining
    3. Agriculture
    4. Transportation
    5. Foreign Trade
    6. Domestic Trade
    7. Service Industries
  3. Structure of Consumers’ Demand:
    1. Sources of income
    2. Income distribution
    3. Spending and Saving pattern
  4. Price Structure:
    1. Price structure and the industrial structure
    2. Prices and incomes
  5. Economic Structure and Economic Policies

In this course, lectures are supplemented by simple research problems assigned as home work.

Readings:

J. R. Hicks and A. G. Hart, The Social Framework of the American Economy

and selected readings from publications of

National Resources Planning Board
National Bureau of Economic Research
Brookings Institution

[Handwritten additions:
Williamson, Growth of American Economy
Kuznets, Secular Movements of Production]

            Since Economics 12a is being given for the first time, the above outline probably will be modified in the course of instruction.

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Handwritten list following course outline

Econ 12A

Desk. Hicks JR & Hart—Social Framework

Desk. Leontief W—Economic statistics & postwar policies.
Reprint Harris Post-war Economic Problems.

Desk. National Resources Committee—Structure of the American Economy

Desk. National Resources Planning Board. Industrial Location & Nat. Resources

Desk. Kuznets, S.S.—Secular Movements in Production & Prices

Desk. Bell, S.—Productivity, wages and national income. Chs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. Appendix A: II & III

Desk. Glover, J.G.—Development of American Industries. Chs. 17, 31

Desk. Williamson, Growth of the American Economy. Chs 20, 21, 22.

Desk. U.S. Nat. Resources Comm., Consumer Spends his Income

Desk. Bd. Governors Federal Res. System [Postwar Economic Studies No. 1]. Jobs, production & living standards, 1945.
Goldenweiser)

 

Source:  Harvard University Archives. Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in economics, 1895-2003 (HUC 8522.2.1), Box 4, Folder “Economics, 1945-1946 (1 of 2)”.

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1945-46
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
ECONOMICS 12a

The Economy of the United States
Final. January. 1946.

Answer FOUR questions including question six. If you choose to answer question one, spend approximately one hour on it; in the final score it will be given double weight.

  1. Present a short discussion of your special research topic.
  2. How would you go about estimating the probable effect of a changed distribution of national income on the output and employment in the metal fabricating industry?
  3. Discuss the principal factors which have determined the changes in agricultural employment from the end of the last century up to the beginning of the second World War.
  4. Analyze the position of foreign trade in the structure of American economy.
  5. Describe the mutual dependence of wages, profits, and prices from the point of view of interindustrial relationships.
  6. Review critically of the papers included in the Postwar Economic Studies assigned for the Reading Period.

Source:  Harvard University Archives. Harvard University, Final examinations, 1853-2001. Box 11, “Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Papers Printed for Final Examinations. History, History of Religions, …, Economics, … , Military Science, Naval Science. January, 1946”.

Image Source:  Wassily Leontief in Harvard Class Album 1947.