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Harvard. Syllabus for International Trade and Tariff Policies. Harris, 1933

Seymour Harris (1897-1975) received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1926 with a dissertation about paper money issued during the French Revolution: “The Assignats.” It was published as Harvard Economic Studies 33. He took over the international trade course that was offered to undergraduates and graduates from A. H. Cole starting in 1932-33.  Beginning in 1936-37 the course was then jointly taught by Harris and Gottfried Haberler.

Following his retirement from Harvard in 1964 Harris went on to become the founding chairman of the UC San Diego Department of Economics. Paul Samuelson offered written tribute to Seymour Harris’ contributions. 

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[Course Announcement]

Economics 9a 1hf. International Trade and Tariff Policies

Half-course (first half-year). Mon., Wed., and (at the pleasure of the instructor) Fri., at 12. Asst. Professor Harris.

 

Source: Announcement of the Courses of Instruction Offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences 1933-34, Second edition. Official Register of Harvard University. Vol. XXX, No. 39 (September 20, 1933).

 

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[Course Enrollment]

102 Total: 4 Graduates, 76 Seniors, 16 Juniors, 2 Sophomores, 4 Others.

 

Source: Annual Report of the President of Harvard College, 1933-34, p. 84.

 

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ECONOMICS 9a
Outline, 1933–1934

 

Important Books:

Ohlin: International and Interregional Trade¨[1933]

Taussig: International Trade [1927]

Taussig: Some Aspects of the Tariff Problem [3rd enlarged ed with Harry D. White, 1931]

Taussig: Tariff History [6th ed 1914]

 

I. Pure Theory of International Trade (September 25 – October 27)

Lecture 1. The regional balance of payments

Lecture 2. The international balance of payments

Lecture 3. Conditions of international and interregional trade

Lecture 4. Movements of commodities and factors

Lecture 5. The problems of localization and transportation

Lecture 6. The Classical theory as developed by Ricardo

Lecture 7. The Classical theory as modified by Taussig

Lecture 8. The supply and demand theory of Marshall

 

Assignment:

Ohlin: Chapters 1-7.

Taussig, International Trade: Chapters 1-7

 

II.   Pure Theory, continued; Money and the Theory of international Trade

(October 30 –November 10)

Lecture 9. International trade under a gold standard

Lecture 10. International trade under a gold standard, continued

Lecture 11. International trade under a silver standard

Lecture 12. International trade under an inconvertible standard

 

Assignment:

Taussig, International Trade: Chapters 17, 18, 26, 27.

 

III.       Fiscal Problems (November 13,- December 8)

Lecture 13. Effects of import duties

Lecture 14. Some aspects of British fiscal policy

Lecture 15. British fiscal policy and her international position.

Lecture 16. Some aspects of American fiscal policy

Lecture 17. The international competitive position of the United States

Lecture 18. The technique of tariff bargaining and administration

Lecture 19. Tariffs, prices, and the terms of trade

Lecture 20. The problem of raw materials in its international aspects.

 

Assignment:

Taussig, Some Aspects of the Tariff Problem: Chapters 1-3, 9-13.

Taussig, Tariff History: Part II.

IV.   Capital Movements and Reparations (December 11-22)

Lecture 21.    The mechanism of capital movements

Lecture 22.    Statistical verification of the theory

Lecture 23.    Keynes, Ohlin, Taussig on reparations

 

Assignment:

Ohlin: Chapters 19-22.

 

HOUR EXAMINATION: Wednesday, October 25.

 

Reading Period:

Read ONE of the following:

  1. Ashley, Modern Tariff History [Germany—United States—France]  [3rd ed, 1920]
  2. Barnes, A History of the English Corn Laws: Chapters 7-12 [1930]
  3. Beveridge, Tariffs: The Case Examined [1st ed. October 1931; 2nd ed. June 1932]
  4. Culbertson, International Economic Policies: Chapters 1-5, 7 [1925]
  5. League of Nations, Course and Phases of the World Economic Depression: Pp. 1-274 [B. Ohlin, 1931]
  6. Loveday, Britain and World Trade  [1931]
  7. Marshall, Money, Credit and Commerce  [1922]
  8. Pigou, Essays in Applied Economics: Chapters 14-15.[1923]
    Pigou and Robertson, Economic Essays and Addresses [1931]:

Part I, Chapter 4;
Part II, Chapters 2, 4, 5.

 

Source: Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in Economics, 1895-2003. Harvard University Archives: HUC 8522.2.1, Box 2, Folder “1933-1934”.

Image source: Harvard Album, 1934.