Harvard. Readings and Exams for Methods of Social Reform. Carver, 1902-03

 

“The trouble with radicals is that they only read radical literature, and the trouble with conservatives is that they don’t read anything.”

Thomas Nixon Carver quoted by John Kenneth Galbraith (A Life in Our Times)

This conservative Harvard economic theorist regularly taught the course on schemes of economic reform at Harvard early in the 20th century. He was certainly more forgiving than sympathetic to his radical subjects. 

Variations of this course syllabus have been transcribed earlier here at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror:

• 1901-02. co-taught with Frederick Alexander Bushée. Economics 14. Socialism and Communism.
• 1919-20, second term. Economics 7^b. Socialism.  [Final exam]

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Course Description

[Economics] 14. Methods of Social Reform, including Socialism, Communism, the Single Tax, etc. Tu.,Th, at 1.30. Professor Carver.

The purpose of this course is to make a careful study of those plans of social amelioration which involves either a reorganization of society, or a considerable extension of the functions of the state. The course begins with an historical study of early communistic theories and experiments. This is followed by a critical examination of the series of the leading socialistic writers, with a view to getting a clear understanding of the reasoning which lies back of socialistic movements, and of the economic conditions which tend to make this reasoning acceptable. A similar study will be made of Anarchism and Nihilism, of the Single Tax Movement, of State Socialism and the public ownership of monopolistic enterprises, and of Christian Socialism, so called.

Morley’s Ideal Commonwealths, Ely’s French and German Socialism, Marx’s Capital, Marx and Engels’s The Communist Manifesto, and George’s Progress and Poverty will be read, besides other special references.

The course will be conducted by means of lectures, reports, and classroom discussions.

Source: Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Division of History and Political Science comprising the Departments of History and Government and Economics 1902-03. The University Publications, New Series, No. 55 (June 14, 1902), p. 42

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Course Enrollment
(Harvard, 1902-03)

[Economics] 14. Professor Carver.— Methods of Reform. Socialism, Communism, the Single Tax, etc.

Total 15: 2 Graduates, 8 Seniors, 2 Juniors, 1 Sophomore, 2 Others.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College, 1902-03, p. 67.

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Course Enrollment (Radcliffe, 1902-03)

[Economics] 14. Professor Carver.— Methods of Social Reform.

Total 6: 4 Undergraduates, 2 Others.

Source: Radcliffe College. Report of the President of Radcliffe College, 1902-03, p. 43.

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Economics 14
[handwritten note: 1902-03]

Topics and References
Starred references are prescribed

COMMUNISM

A
Utopias

1.	Plato’s Republic
2.	*Sir Thomas More.   Utopia.
3.	*Francis Bacon.   New Atlantis.
4.	*Tommaso Campanella.   The City of the Sun. (Numbers 2, 3, and 4 may be found in convenient form in Morley’s Ideal Commonwealths.)
5.	Etienne Cabet.   Voyage en Icarie.
6.	Wm. Morris.   News from Nowhere.
7.	Edward Bellamy.   Looking Backward.

 

B
Communistic Experiments

1.	*Charles Nordhoff.   The Communistic Societies of the United States.
2.	Karl Kautsky.   Communism in Central Europe in the Time of the Reformation.
3.	W. A. Hinds.   American Communities.
4.	J.H. Noyes.   History of American Socialisms.
5.	J. T. Codman.   Brook Farm Memoirs.
6.	Albert Shaw.   Icaria.
7.	G.B. Landis.   The Separatists of Zoar.
8.	E.O. Randall.   History of the Zoar Society.

 

SOCIALISM

A
Historical

1.	*R. T. Ely. French and German Socialism.
2.	Bertrand Russell. German Social Democracy.
3.	John Rae. Contemporary Socialism.
4.	Thomas Kirkup. A History of Socialism.
5.	W. D. P. Bliss. A Handbook of Socialism.
6.	Wm. Graham. Socialism, New and Old.
7.	[Jessica Blanche] Peixotto. The French Revolution and Modern French Socialism.

 

B
Expository and Critical

1.	*Albert Schaeffle. The Quintessence of Socialism.
2.	Albert Schaeffle. The Impossibility of Social Democracy.
3.	*Karl Marx. Capital.
4.	*Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels. The Manifesto of the Communist Party.
5.	Frederick Engels. Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.
6.	E. C. K. Gonner. The Socialist Philosophy of Rodbertus.
7.	E. C. K. Gonner. The Socialist State.
8.	Bernard Shaw and others. The Fabian Essays in Socialism.
9.	The Fabian Tracts.
10.	R. T. Ely. Socialism: An Examination of its Nature, Strength, and Weakness.
11.	Edward Bernstein. Ferdinand Lassalle.
12.	Henry M. Hyndman. The Economics of Socialism.
13.	Sydney and Beatrice Webb. Problems of Modern Industry.
14.	Gustave Simonson. A Plain Examination of Socialism.
15.	Sombart. Socialism and the Social Movement in the Nineteenth Century.
16.	Vandervelde. Collectivism [and Industrial Evolution].

 

ANARCHISM

1.	*Leo Tolstoi. The Slavery of Our Times.
2.	Wm. Godwin. Political Justice.
3.	Kropotkin. The Scientific Basis of Anarchy. Nineteenth Century, 21: 238.
4.	Kropotkin. The Coming Anarchy. Nineteenth Century, 22:149.
5.	Elisée Reclus. Anarchy. Contemporary Review, 45: 627. [May 1884]

 

RELIGIOUS AND ALTRUISTIC SOCIALISM

1.	Lamennais. Les Paroles d’un Croyant.
2.	Charles Kingsley. Alton Locke.
3.	*Kaufman. Lamennais and Kingsley. Contemporary Review, April, 1882.
4.	Washington Gladden. Tools and the Man.
5.	Josiah Strong. Our Country.
6.	Josiah Strong. The New Era.
7.	William Morris, Poet, Artist, Socialist. Edited by Francis Watts Lee. A collection of the socialistic writings of William Morris.
8.	Ruskin. The Communism of John Ruskin. Edited by W. D. P. Bliss. Selected chapters from Unto this Last, The Crown of Wild Olive, and Fors Clavigera.
9.	Carlyle. The Socialism and Unsocialism of Thomas Carlyle. Edited by W. D. P. Bliss. Selected chapters from Carlyle’s various works. [Volume 1; Volume 2]

 

AGRARIAN SOCIALISM

1.	*Henry George. Progress and Poverty.
2.	Henry George. Our Land and Land Policy.
3.	Alfred Russell Wallace. Land Nationalization.

 

STATE SOCIALISM

An indefinite term, usually made to include all movements for the extension of government control and ownership, especially over means of communication and transportation, also street lighting, etc.

1.	R. T. Ely. Problems of To-day. Chs. 17-23.
2.	J. A. Hobson. The Social Problem.

 

WORKS DISCUSSING THE SPHERE OF THE STATE IN SOCIAL REFORM

1.	Henry C. Adams. The Relation of the State to Industrial Action.
2.	*D. G. Ritchie. Principles of State Interference.
3.	D. G. Ritchie. Darwinism and Politics.
4.	*Herbert Spencer. The Coming Slavery.
5.	W. W. Willoughby. Social Justice.

Source:  Harvard University Archives. Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in economics, 1895-2003. Box 1, Folder “Economics, 1902-1903”.

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Economics 14
Mid-year Examination, 1902-03

1. Give an account of More’s Utopia.
2. Is there any ground for supposing that Utopian schemes have influenced social development? Give reasons.
3. What were the periods of greatest activity in the founding of communistic settlements in America? What stimulated the activity in each period, and what were the general conditions favorable to such activity?
4. Does the history of communistic experiments in America throw any light on the probable success or failure of socialism on a large scale? Give reasons.
5. Give an account of the communistic plans and activities of Etienne Cabet.
6. Describe the Communist Manifesto. What place does it hold in socialistic literature, and why?
7. Compare the socialism of Rodbertus with that of Karl Marx.
8. Outline Marx’ theory of surplus value.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Mid-year Examinations 1852-1943. Box 6. Papers (in the bound volume Examination Papers Mid-years 1902-1903).

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Economics 14
Year-End Examination, 1902-03

1. Give some account of Fourier and the Fourieristic experiments in the United States.
2. Distinguish between Utopian and Scientific Socialism.
3. What part has religion played in the history of Communistic Experiments?
4. How does Karl Marx explain the existence of poverty?
5. Trace briefly the history of the German Social Democratic Party.
6. Distinguish between land and other forms of property.
7. How do you account for the share of the capitalist in distribution?
8. Is there any relation between the unequal distribution of workers among different occupations and the unequal distribution of wealth?
9. What is meant by the term “Natural Monopolies.”
10. Define “Christian Socialism” and explain how it differs from Marxian Socialism.

Source:  University Archives. Examination Papers 1873-1915. Box 6. Papers Set for Final Examinations in History, Government, Economics, History of Religions, Philosophy, Education, Fine Arts, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Music in Harvard College, June 1903 (in the bound volume Examination Papers 1902-1903).

Image Source: Harvard Class Album, 1906.