Herbert Levine was trained in economics and Russian studies at Harvard before going off to lifetime employment at the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to Harvard in the fall term of 1963 to cover the Soviet economy class for Abram Bergson who was on leave at the Center for Advanced Study of the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford in 1963-64.
Along with a younger economist from the University of Texas, Ed Hewett, Levine championed my application to the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) for a research exchange fellowship in the German Democratic Republic back in the late 1970s. He was a mentor to many other young scholars working on the economies of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. I last saw him in November 2003 at an economics workshop at Harvard where drafts of papers were presented that would later be published in a special issue edited by Paul R. Gregory and Marshall Goldman in honor of Abram Bergson (Comparative Economic Studies, 2005).
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Obituary in The Daily Pennsylvanian
Former economics prof. leaves a legacy
47-year teacher is remembered fondly for his compassion and challenging courses
By Alissa Eisenberg and Alissa Eisenber 06/14/07
Herbert Levine, Economics professor at Penn from 1960 to 2006, died Sunday, succumbing to complications from leg surgery after battling prostate cancer for the past 15 years.
Levine was 78.
Receiving his B.A. [1950], M.A. [1952] and Ph.D. [1961] degrees from Harvard University, Levine specialized in Soviet economics and his insights were “in demand during the period leading up to the dissolution of the Soviet system,” according to a written statement by fellow Economics professor Lawrence Klein.
Levine published several articles on his area of expertise, yet never failed to acknowledge the importance of the broader study of economics.
Winning several awards for excellent teaching at Penn including the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Kravis Prize for Distinction in Undergraduate teaching, Levine was highly regarded among students.
“Econ 1 is large, but [my dad] would call on people by name, he just taught that way and people cared for his courses,” said daughter and College alumna Jan Levine.
Former student and 1964 College alumnus Ted Kozloff echoed Levine’s revere for her father.
“Herb was a seminal figure in my education,” Kozloff said. “There are maybe one or two teachers in my lifetime that had an effect like Herb. . He enjoyed enormous popularity and there was enormous respect for him.”
And that respect remained prominent over his 47-year career at Penn.
Levine was Elizabeth Goldstein’s dissertation advisor in 1982, and she said he was “the most fabulous adviser anybody could ask for.”
Goldstein added, “He was rigorious but understanding and had an amazing gift for being able to guide people through very difficult and high-level economic theory.”
Many former students also noted his warmth and devotion to his personal life in addition to academics.
“Many people excel in their careers and forget their personal life, but Herb didn’t,” said former student Edward LaPuma.
Levine’s funeral was scheduled for this morning in Trevose, Pa.
He is survived by his wife Helene Levine, daughters Jan and Judith Levine, sister Myra Heller and three grandchildren. His son, Jonathon, predeceased him.
Obituary in the University of Pennsylvania Almanac,
Vol. 54, No. 1. July 17, 2007
Dr. Herbert S. Levine, professor emeritus of economics and expert on Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, died on June 10, after complications from surgery from a broken leg during the end of a fifteen-year battle with prostate cancer; he was 78.
Dr. Levine completed his postsecondary education at Harvard, earning an undergraduate degree in economics in 1950, followed by a master degree in Russian studies two years later. He also earned a doctorate from Harvard in 1961, writing his dissertation on the economic performance of the USSR, which earned important recognition of his research by winning the prestigious David A. Wells Prize.
Dr. Levine joined Penn’s faculty in 1960 as an assistant professor of economics. He studied the controlled economy of the USSR, in close touch with other members of a research center at Harvard University. He was promoted to professor in 1969. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Levine served as chairman of the graduate group in economics and as co-director of the Lauder Institute. After a 47-year career at Penn he retired in 2006.
His unusual abilities in presenting modern political economy to undergraduates resulted in him being awarded faculty prizes for his teaching including the Irving B. Kravis Prize for Distinction in Undergraduate Teaching (1988 and 1991) and the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Dr. Levine is survived by his wife, Helene; two daughters, Jan Levine, and Judith Levine and their husbands Michael Zuckerman and Edward Sobel; their grandchildren, Rachel Zuckerman, Joshua Zuckerman and Julia Sobel; and his sister, Myra Heller and brother-in-law Jack Heller.
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Harvard Course Announcement Fall Term, 1963
Economics 133. The Economy of Soviet Russia (Offered jointly with the Committee on Regional Studies).
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.) at 9. Professor Levine (University of Pennsylvania).
Economic development under the five-year plans: the rate of economic growth: structural changes; conditioning factors. Planning principles and procedures.
Source: Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Courses of Instruction for Harvard and Radcliffe, 1963-1964, p. 103.
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ECONOMICS 133, Fall Term, 1963-1964
The Economy of Soviet Russia
H. S. Levine
Course Outline and Reading List.
Books to be Purchased:
Dobb: M. Dobb, Soviet, Economic Development Since 1917, International Publishers, 1948.
Readings: Readings on the Soviet Economy, F. Holzman (ed.), Rand McNally, 1961.
Part One
I. Historical Overview
A. Pre-Revolution
(General Historical Background: D. Treadgold, Twentieth Century Russia, Rand McNally, 1959, Chapters 1-5, 8.
1. Bowden, Karpovich and Usher, An Economic History of Europe Since 1250, Chapters 14 and 29.
2. G. T. Robinson, Rural Russia Under the Old Regime, Chapters 6, 7, 11.
3. A. Gerschenkron, “The Rate of Industrial Growth In Russia Since 1885,” Part 1, The Journal of Economic History, Supplement VII, 1947, pp. 144-157 (only).
4. Supplementary Readings:
a) J. Blum, Lord and Peasant in Russia, Chapters 24, 26, 27.
b) Robinson, Chapters 5, 12.
c) P. I. Lyashchenko, History of the National Economy of Russia; on agriculture: Chapters 21, 23, 36; on industry: Chapters 25, 26, 32-34.
d) T. Von Laue, Sergei Witte and the Industrialization of Russia
e) A. Gerschenkron, “Russia: Patterns and Problems of Economic Development, 1861-1958, » in his Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective (postpone Part Ill). This essay also appears in C. Black (ed.), The Transformation of Russian Society.
B. The Revolution, War Communism, and the New Economic Policy (1917-1927)
(General Historical Background: Treadgold, Chapters 9-14.
1. Dobb, Chapters 3-7.
C. The Industrialization Debates, Collectivization and the Beginning of the Plan Era
(General Historical Background: Treadgold, Chapter 17.
1. Dobb, Chapters 8 and 9
2. A. Erlich, “Preobrazhenski and the Economics of Soviet Industrialization,” Quarterly Journal of Economics, Feb. 1950, pp. 57-88
3. Readings: N. Jasny, “Early Kolkhozy and the Big Drive”
4. M. Fainsod, Smolensk Under Soviet Rule, pp. 242-258
5. Supplementary Reading:
a) Readings: A. Erlich, “Stalin’s Views on Soviet Economic Development”.
D. From the First Five Year Plan to the End of the War (1928-1945)
(General Historical Background: Treadgold, Chapter 18
1. Dobb, Chapter 10
2. N. Jasny, Soviet Industrialization 1928-1952, pp. 109-114
3. Dobb, Chapters 11, 12 and pp. 453-454
4 Jasny, Soviet Industrialization, pp. 177-187
E. Post-War to the Present
(General Historical Background: Treadgold, Chapter 25
1. Jasny, Soviet Industrialization, pp. 235-256
2. G. Grossman, “The Soviet Economy,” Problems of Communism, XIl:2, (Mar-Apr. 1963) pp. 32-40
3. Supplementary Readings:
a) O. Hoeffding, “Substance and Shadow in the Soviet Seven Year Plan,” Foreign Affairs, April, 1959
b) H. Levine, “The New Seven Year Plan,” The New Leader, May 25 and June 1, 1959,
II. Soviet Economic Growth
A. Problems of Measuring Growth
1. The Soviet Statistical System
a) G. Grossman, Soviet Statistics of Physical Output of Industrial Commodities, pp. 1-10, 22-46
2. Reliability of Soviet Statistics
a) Readings: A. Bergson, “Reliability and Usability of Soviet Statistics: A Summary Appraisal”
b) L. Turgeon, “On the Reliability of Soviet Statistics,” Review of Economics and Statistics, February 1952, pp. 75-6.
c) Grossman, Soviet Statistics, pp. 123-134.
3. Interpretation of Data
a) Readings: A. Bergson, “The Adjusted Factor Cost Standard of National Income Valuation.”
b) Readings: A. Nove, “1926/27 and All That.”
c) A. Gerschenkron, A Dollar Index of Soviet Machinery Output, pp. 47-58
d) R. Moorsteen, “On Measuring Productive Potential and Relative Efficiency,” Quarterly Journal of Economics, August 1961, pp. 451-467
e) Supplementary Readings
1) J. R. Hicks, “The Valuation of the Social Income,” Economica, May 1940, pp. 105-124
2) P. Samuelson, “Evaluation of Real National Income,” Oxford Economic Papers, January 1950, pp. 1-29.
3) A. Becker, “Comparisons of US and USSR National Output: Some Rules of the Game,”World Politics, October 1960, pp. 99-111.
B. What Has Been Accomplished?
1. National Income
a) A. Bergson, “National Income,” in A. Bergson and S. Kuznets (eds.), Economic Trends in the Soviet Union, pp. 1-16 (only).
b) S. Cohn, “The Gross National Product in the Soviet Union,” in Joint Economic Committee, Dimensions of Soviet Economic Power, pp. 69-77.
c) Supplementary Reading
1) A. Bergson, The Real National Income of Soviet Russia Since 1928, Chapters 13 and 14.
2. Industry
a) Readings: N. Kaplan and R. Moorsteen, “An Index of Soviet Industrial Growth”
b) R. Greenslade and P. Wallace, “Industrial Production in the USSR,” in Dimensions, pp. 119-130
c) Supplementary Reading
1) R. Powell, “Industrial Production,” in Trends, pp. 150-176
3. Agriculture
a) D. G. Johnson, “Agricultural Production”, in Trends, pp. 203-214
b) J. Willet, “The Recent Record in Agricultural Production,” in Dimensions, pp. 95-100.
4. Consumption
a) J. Chapman, “Consumption,” in Trends, pp. 235-270
b) Supplementary Reading
1) R. Golden, “Recent Trends in Soviet Personal Income and Consumption,” in Dimensions, pp. 347-366.
C. Analysis of Growth
1. H. Schwartz, Russia’s Soviet Economy (2nd and Revised Editions), pp. 1-26
2. W. Eason, “Labor Force,” in Trends, pp. 38-93
3. N. Kaplan, “Capital Formation and Allocation,” in A. Bergson (ed.), Soviet Economic Growth, pp. 37-80
4. A. Bergson, “National Income,” in Trends, pp. 17-35.
5. Supplementary Readings
a) F. Seton, “Production Functions in Soviet Industry,” American Economic Review, May 1959, pp. 1-14
b) R. Campbell, Soviet Economic Power, Chapter 4
c) N. DeWitte, “Education and the Development of Human Resources,” in Dimensions, pp. 233-268
d) Readings: “Forced Labor in the Soviet Union”.
Ill. The Operation of the Soviet Economy
A. General Operating Framework and Principles
1. P. Cook, “The Administration and Distribution of Soviet Industry,” in Dimensions, pp. 183-210.
2. A. Nove, The Soviet Economy, Chapter 1.
3. W. Loucks, Comparative Economic Systems (6th Edition), pp. 444-453.
4. Supplementary Reading
a) G. Grossman, “The Structure and Organization of the Soviet Economy,” Slavic Review, June 1962, pp. 203-222.
B. Planning
1. O. Lange, “On the Economic Theory of Socialism” in B. Lippincott (ed.), O. Lange and F. Taylor, On the Economic Theory of Socialism.
2. Schwartz, Chapter V
3. Readings: H. Levine, “The Centralized Planning of Supply in Soviet Industry.”
4. Readings: G. Grossman, “Scarce Capital and Soviet Doctrine”
5. Readings: “On the Problem of Determining the Economic Effectiveness of Capital Investments.”
6. Supplementary Readings
a) J. Drewnowski, “The Economic Theory of Socialism: A Suggestion for Reconsideration,” Journal of Political Economy, August 1961, pp. 341-354
b) Dobb, Chapter 1
c) H. Hunter, “Optimum Tautness in Developmental Planning,” Economic Development and Cultural Change, July 1961, Part l, pp. 561-572.
d) R. Campbell, Soviet Economic Power, Chapter 5
e) I. Yevenko, Planning in the USSR, (Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow), esp. Chapter III.
f) Readings: D. Granick, “An Organizational Model of Soviet Industrial Planning.”
C. The Firm and Problems of Industrial Administration
1. Readings: J. Berliner, “The Informal Organization of the Soviet Firm.”
2. Readings: A. Nove, “The Problem of Success Indicators in Soviet Industry.”
3. “The Liberman Proposals”
a) Current Digest of the Soviet Press, XIV:36 (Oct. 3, 1962), pp. 13-15
b) Harry Schafer, “Ills and Remedies,” Problems of Communism, May-June 1963, pp. 18-26.
4. A. Nove, “The Soviet Industrial Reorganization,” Problems of Communism, Nov.-Dec. 1957, pp 19-25.
5. H. Levine, “Recent Developments in Soviet Planning,” in Dimensions, 1st Section, pp. 167-185.
6. P. Cook, “Party, State and Economic Reorganization in the USSR.” The ASTE Bulletin, V:l (Winter 1963), pp. 2-11
7. Supplementary Readings
a) Readings: J. Berliner, “Managerial Incentives and Decisionmaking.”
b) G. Grossman, “Soviet Growth: Routine, Inertia, and Pressure,” American Economic Review, May 1960, pp. 62-72.
c) Readings: O. Hoeffding, “The Soviet Industrial Reorganization of 1957.”
d) M. Goldman, “Economic Controversy in the Soviet Union,” Foreign Affairs, 1963:3, pp. 498-512.
e) A. Nove, “The Liberman Proposals,” Survey, April 1963, pp. 112-118.
D. Prices
1. M. Bornstein, “The Soviet Price System,” American Economic Review, March 1962, pp. 64-103.
2. V. Nemchinov, “Value and Price Under Socialism,” Problems of Economics, IV:3 (July 1961), pp. 3-17.
3. R. Campbell, “Marx, Kantorovich, and Novozhilov: Stolmost Versus Reality,” Slavic Review, October 1961, pp.402-418.
4. M. Bornstein, “The 1963 Soviet Industrial Price Revision,” Soviet Studies, July 1963, pp. 43-52.
5. Supplementary Readings
a) Readings: G. Grossman, “Industrial Prices In the USSR.”
b) A. Wakar and J. Zielinski, “Socialist Operational Price Systems,” American Economic Review, March 1963, pp. 109-127
c) “The Great Value-Price Controversy in the USSR….” in H. Shaffer (ed.), The Soviet Economy (A Collection of Western and Soviet Views), pp. 340-421.
d) A. Zauberman, “Soviet Planometrics,” Soviet Studies, July 1962, pp. 62-74.
E. Finance
1. A. Nove, The Soviet Economy, Chapter 3
2. Readings: F. Holzman, “Financing Soviet Development”
3. Readings: F. Holman, “Soviet Inflationary Pressures, 1928-1957”
4. Readings: D. Hodgman, “Soviet Monetary Controls Through the Banking System”
5. Supplementary Reading. F. Holzman, Soviet Taxation, Chs. 1-4, 9.
F. Labor
1. Readings: E. Brown, “The Soviet Labor Market”
2. Schwartz, pp. 554-565, 534-548
3. Readings: A. Nove, “Social Welfare in the USSR.”
4. W. Galenson, “The Soviet Wage Reform” Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting, Industrial Relations Research Association (1961), pp. 250-265.
5. A. Nove, “Toward a Communist Welfare State?” Problems of Communism, January-February 1960.
6. Supplementary Readings
a) E. Nash, “Trends in Labor Controls In the Soviet Union,” in Dimensions, pp. 393-404.
b) E. Brown, “Labor Relations in Soviet Factories,” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, January 1958
c) E. Brown, “A Note on Employment and Unemployment in the Soviet Union in the Light of Technical Progress,” Soviet Studies, January 1961, pp. 231-240.
G. Agriculture
1. Schwarz, Chapter VIII
2. C. Harris, “Soviet Agricultural Resources Reappraised,” Journal of Farm Economics, May 1956, pp. 258-273
3. Readings: L. Volin, “Agricultural Policy of the Soviet Union.”
4. J. Willet, “The Recent Record in Agricultural Production,” in Dimensions, pp. 100-113.
5. H. Walters, Agriculture in the United States and the Soviet Union, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, 1963).
6. Supplementary Readings
a) J. Newth, “Soviet Agriculture: the Private Sector, 1950-59,” Soviet Studies, October 1961 and April 1962.
b) A. Nove, “Soviet Agriculture Marks Time,” Foreign Affairs, July 1962.
c) D. G. Johnson, “Agricultural Production,” in Trends, pp. 214-234
H. Domestic Trade, Foreign Trade and Foreign Aid
1. M. Goldman, Soviet Marketing, Chapters 2, 3, 8.
2. A. Nove, and D. Donnelly, Trade with Communist Countries, pp. 21-57.
3. P. Thunberg, “The Soviet Union in the World Economy,” in Dimensions, pp. 409-438.
4. G. Carnett and M. Crawford, “The Scope and Distribution of Soviet Economic Aid,” in Dimensions, pp. 457-474.
5. A. Zauberman, “Economic Integration,” Problems of Communism, July-August 1959, pp. 23-29.
6. Supplementary Readings
a) M. Goldman, “Product Differentiation and Advertising: Some Lessons from Soviet Experience,” Journal of Political Economy, August 1960, pp. 346-357.
b) Readings: J. Berliner, “Soviet Foreign Economic Competition”
c) Readings: N. Spulber and F. Gehrels, “The Operations of Trade Within the Soviet Bloc.”
d) Readings: F. Holzman, “Some Financial Aspects of Soviet Foreign Trade.”
e) “Discrimination Within the Bloc: Mendershausen vs. Holzman,” The Review of Economics and Statistics: May 1959, May 1960 and May 1962.
I. Future Prospects and Their Implications
1. A. Bergson, “The Great Economic Race: USSR vs. USA,” Challenge, March 1963.
2. A. Bergson and J. Berliner, “Economic Aspects of the Party Program,” The ASTE Bulletin, IV:2 (Winter 1962) pp. 20-36.
3. Readings: O. Hoeffding, “Soviet State Planning and Forced Industrialization as a Model for Asia.”
4. Supplementary Reading
a) J. Hardt et al, The Cold War Economic Gap. (Praeger 1961).
b) Articles by Peterson, Colm, Rostow and Schwartz in Joint Economic Committee, Comparisons of the United States and Soviet Economies, Parts Il and Ill.
Source: Harvard University Archives. Syllabi, course outlines and reading lists in Economics, 1895-2003. Box 8, Folder “Economics, 1963-64”.
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HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics
Economics 133
Final Examination
January 27, 1964
Part I (One hour)
Answer three of the following four questions.
1. (20 minutes)
Compare the economic policies of Vishnegradsky and Witte with those of Stalin.
2. (20 minutes)
Discuss the problem of “success indicators” in Soviet industry.
3. (20 minutes)
Describe briefly how prices and wages are formed and the role they play in the Soviet economy,
4. (20 minutes)
Describe the operation and role of foreign trade in the Soviet economy.
Part II (One hour)
Answer two of the following three questions,
5. (30 minutes)
“In order to understand why the Russians (at least until very recently) have been so successful in achieving rapid economic growth, one need look no further than the high rate of investment they have been able to attain.”
Discuss.
6. (30 minutes)
You are a high ranking official of the Soviet Communist Party and you have just been appointed chief of agricultural affairs. You are requested to prepare a report in which you are to:
a) describe briefly the major reforms instituted in Soviet agriculture in the last 10 years;
b) discuss the extent of their success and/or failure; and
c) propose some further measures which may be taken to improve the agricultural situation.
How would you respond to this request? (“Flee the country” is not an acceptable response.)
7. (30 minutes)
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency recently claimed that the rate of growth of Soviet national income in the last two years (1962 and 1963) has been 2.5% per year.
In analyzing this claim, answer the following questions:
a. What is meant by the “index number problem” in measuring economic growth? Why does it arise?
b. To what extent may there be an index number problem in CIA’s calculation?
c. How does this CIA figure differ from the rates of growth of Soviet national income which have been calculated by Bergson and Cohn for earlier periods?
d. What in your opinion might account for the differences?
e. Bonus (If you have time)
What do you think are the prospects for Soviet economic growth in the next 10 to 20 years? Explain.
Part III (One hour)
Answer the following question.
8. (60 minutes)
Suppose the Soviet government were to decide that it were no longer necessary or desirable to maintain a policy of achieving a maximum rate of economic growth. Suppose instead, it were to decide on a policy of achieving moderate growth (say about 4% per year in national income), rising standards of living for its people and full employment (in short, a “civilized” economic policy).
Discuss the possible effects such a decision might have on the various different elements in the organization and operative of the Soviet economy.
Source: Harvard University Archives. Papers Printed for Midyear Examinations [in] History, History of Religions,…, Economics,…,Naval Science, Air Science (January 1964) in bound volume Social Sciences. Final Examinations. January 1964 (HUC 7000.28, vol. 150 of 284).
Image Source: Associate Professor of Economics, Herbert S. Levine. University of Pennsylvania Yearbook, The 1967 Record, p. 108.