Appended to their Elementary Principles of Economics, Together with a Short Sketch of Economic History (1904), are the following bibliographies of works that Richard T. Ely (Wisconsin) and George Ray Wicker (Dartmouth) “suggest that a school desiring to form a standard working library in Economics would do well to purchase”. A second edition was published in 1917 with a few additions and deletions to the bibliographies. A vast majority of these works can be obtained and/or read online by simply typing the authors’ last name and key words from the title into the search boxes at www.archive.org or www.hathitrust.org.
Also available here at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror are earlier bibliographies put together by J. Laurence Laughlin (1887) and Michael E. Sadler (1891).
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APPENDIX II
[Ely and Wicker (1904)]
COURSES OF READING
It is believed that both students and teachers may derive valuable aid from the following selected bibliographies. The first group in each case includes works of a relatively untechnical character, and therefore constitutes a sort of elementary, “minimum” course of special study of the particular topic. The books mentioned in the second group are in each case more advanced and technical, and may therefore be used either for advanced courses of study or as works of reference. The authors would suggest that a school desiring to form a standard working library in Economics would do well to purchase the books mentioned in the second groups in the order in which they are named.
GENERAL ECONOMICS
Group 1
Blackmar, F. W.: Economics.
Bullock, C. J.: An Introduction to the Study of Economics.
Devine, E. T.: Economics.
Gide, Charles: Principles of Political Economy. (American adaptation, 1904.)
Seager, Henry R.: Introduction to Economics.
Walker, F. A.: Elementary Course in Political Economy; also Briefer Course in Political Economy.
Group 2
Smith, Adam: Wealth of Nations (in Ashley’s Economic Classics).
Marshall, A.: Principles of Economics.
Smart, W.: Introduction to the Theory of Value.
Clark, J. B.: The Distribution of Wealth.
Mill, J. S.: The Principles of Political Economy.
Ricardo, D.: Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. (Six chapters in Ashley’s Economic Classics.)
Walker, F. A.: Political Economy. (Advanced Course.)
Patten, S. N.: The Premises of Political Economy.
Hobson, J. A.: The Economics of Distribution.
Commons, J. R.: The Distribution of Wealth.
Smart, W.: The Distribution of Income.
ECONOMIC HISTORY
Group 1
Ashley, W. J.: Introduction to English Economic History and Theory. 2 vols.
Cheyney, E. P.: Industrial and Social History of England.
Beard, C.: The Industrial Revolution.
Ely, R. T.: Evolution of Industrial Society.
Coman, Katharine: The Industrial History of the United States.
Hewins, W. A. S.: English Trade and Finance.
Price, L. L.: History of English Commerce and Industry.
Warner, T.: Landmarks of English Industrial History.
Group 2
Bücher, Carl: Industrial Evolution. (Translation.)
Hobson, J. A.: The Evolution of Modern Capitalism.
Toynbee, Arnold: The Industrial Revolution.
Wright, C. D.: Industrial Evolution of the United States.
Wells, D. A.: Recent Economic Changes.
Rand, B.: Selections illustrating Economic History since 1763.
Gibbins, H. de B.: Industry in England.
Cunningham, W.: Growth of English Industry and Commerce. 2 vols.
Rogers, J. E. T.: Six Centuries of Work and Wages and A History of Agriculture and Prices in England.
Ingram, J. K.: History of Slavery.
THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMY
Group 1
Price, L. L.: A Short History of Political Economy in England.
Group 2
Ingram, J. K.: History of Political Economy.
Ashley, W. J. (editor): Economic Classics, including selected passages from Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations; six chapters of Ricardo’s Principles of Political Economy; selected passages from Malthus’s Theory of Population; Mun’s England’s Treasure by Foreign Trade; Jones’s Peasant Rents; and Schmoller’s The Mercantile System.
RENT, LAND NATIONALIZATION, AND THE SINGLE TAX
Group 1
George, Henry: Progress and Poverty.
Walker, F. A.: Land and its Rent.
Group 2
Commons, J. R.: The Distribution of Wealth.
Clark, J. B.: The Distribution of Wealth.
Hobson, J. A.: The Economics of Distribution.
Patten, S. N.: Dynamic Economics.
Smart, W.: The Distribution of Income.
MONEY, CREDIT, AND BANKING
Group 1
Bagehot, W.: Lombard Street.
Bolles, A. S.: Money, Banking, and Finance.
Jevons, W. S.: Money and the Mechanism of Exchange.
Kinley, D.: Money — A Study of the Theory of the Medium of Exchange.
Walker, F. A.: Money, Trade, and Industry.
White, Horace: Money and Banking.
Group 2
Report of the Monetary Commission of the Indianapolis Convention.
Scott, W. A.: Money and Banking.
Laughlin, J. L.: The Principles of Money, and The History of Bimetallism in the United States.
Dunbar, C. F.: Theory and History of Banking.
Nicholson, J. S.: Money and Monetary Problems.
Fisk, A. K.: The Modern Bank.
Cannon, J. G.: Clearing Houses.
Conant, C. A.: History of Modern Banks of Issue.
Sumner, W. G.: History of American Currency.
Muhleman, M. L.: Monetary Systems of the World.
Knox, J. J.: United States Notes.
Walker, F. A.: International Bimetallism.
Willis, H. P.: History of the Latin Monetary Union.
PUBLIC FINANCE
Group 1
Daniels, W. M.: Elements of Public Finance.
Plehn, C. C.: Introduction to Public Finance.
Group 2
Adams, H. C.: The Science of Finance.
Cohn, G.: The Science of Finance. (Translation.)
Bastable, C. F.: Public Finance.
Seligman, E. R. A.: Essays in Taxation.
Dewey, D. R.: Financial History of the United States.
Noyes, A. D.: Thirty Years of American Finance.
Ely, R. T., and Finley, J. H.: Taxation in American States and Cities.
Taussig, F. W.: The Tariff History of the United States.
Kinley, D.: The Independent Treasury.
West, Max: The Inheritance Tax.
Howe, F. C.: Taxation and Taxes in the United States under the Internal Revenue System, 1791-1895.
Kinsman, D.: The Income Tax in the Commonwealths of the United States.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND PROTECTIONISM
Group 1
Bastable, C. F.: Theory of International Trade.
Bastiat, F.: Sophisms of Protection.
Clare, G.: Money Market Primer.
Ely, R. T.: Problems of To-day.
Taussig, F. W.: Tariff History of the United States.
Group 2
Sumner, W. G.: Protectionism.
Patten, S. N.: The Economic Basis of Protection.
Wells, D. A.: Practical Economics.
List, F.: National System of Political Economy.
Carey, H. C.: Harmony of Interests.
Ashley, W. J.: The Tariff Problem.
SOCIALISM
Group 1
Bellamy, E.: Looking Backward.
Brooks, J. G.: The Social Unrest.
Ely, R. T.: Socialism and Social Reform.
Gronlund, L.: The Cöoperative Commonwealth.
Howells, W. D.: A Traveller from Altruria.
Morley, H. (editor): Ideal Commonwealths.
Reeves, W. P.: State Experiments in Australia and New Zealand.
Group 2
Kirkup, T.: History of Socialism.
Marx, Karl: Capital. (Translation.)
Rae, J.: Contemporary Socialism.
Schäffle, A. E. F.: The Quintessence of Socialism. (Translation.)
Vandervelde, E.: Collectivism. (Translation.)
Woolsey, T. D.: Communism and Socialism.
LABOR: ITS POSITION, ITS CONDITIONS, AND ITS EARNINGS
Group 1
Ely, R. T.: The Labor Movement in America.
Gladden, W.: Working People and their Employers.
Mitchell, J.: Organized Labor.
Toynbee, Arnold: The Industrial Revolution in England.
Wright, C. D.: Industrial Evolution of the United States.
Group 2
Report of the United States Industrial Commission.
Annual and Special Reports of the United States Labor Bureau.
Hobson, J. A.: The Evolution of Modern Capitalism.
Schloss, D. F.: Methods of Industrial Remuneration.
Jevons, W. S.: The State in its Relation to Labor.
Stimson, F. J.: Handbook to the Labor Law of the United States.
Lowell, Josephine S.: Industrial Arbitration and Conciliation.
Webb, Sidney and Beatrice (Potter): History of Trade-unionism and Industrial Democracy.
Potter, Beatrice: The Cöoperative Movement in Great Britain.
Levasseur, E.: The American Workman. (Translation.)
Gilman, N. P.: Profit-sharing.
Ashley, W. J.: The Adjustment of Wages.
Rogers, J. E. T.: Six Centuries of Work and Wages.
Brassey, T.: Work and Wages.
MONOPOLIES AND INDUSTRIAL COMBINATIONS
Group 1
Ely, R. T.: Monopolies and Trusts.
Gunton, G.: Trusts and the Public.
Jenks, J. W.: The Trust Problem.
Lloyd, Henry D.: Wealth against Commonwealth.
Von Halle, E.: Trusts and Industrial Combinations.
Meade, E. S.: Trust Finance.
Group 2
Report of the United States Industrial Commission, Vols. I and II.
Adams, H. C.: The Relation of the State to Industrial Action.
Bemis, E. W.: Municipal Monopolies.
Clark, J. B.: Theory of Economic Progress.
Farrer, T. H.: The State in its Relation to Trade.
Cook, W. W.: The Corporation Problem.
Bridge, J. H. (editor): The Trust, its Book.
Bridge, J. H.: Inside History of the Carnegie Steel Co.
Baker, C. E.: Trusts and the People.
Dodd, S. C. T.: Combinations: their Uses and Abuses. (A eulogy of the Standard Oil Company by one of its attorneys); also
An Inside View of Trusts, circulated free of charge in the interests of the Standard Oil Company.
TRANSPORTATION
Group 1
Hadley, A. T.: Railroad Transportation.
Johnson, E. R.: American Railway Transportation.
Group 2
Reports (Annual) of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Report of the United States Industrial Commission.
Meyer, B. H.: Railway Legislation in the United States.
Stickney, A. B.: The Railway Problem.
Dixon, F. H.: State Railroad Control.
Jeans, J. S.: Waterways and Water Transport.
Johnson, E. R.: Inland Waterways.
Lewis, G. H.: National Consolidation of Railways.
Newcomb, H. T.: Railway Economics.
CORPORATIONS AND CORPORATION FINANCE
Group 1
Cleveland, E. A.: Funds and their Uses.
Meade, E. S.: Trust Finance.
Pratt, S. A.: The Work of Wall Street.
Group 2
Report of the Chicago Conference on Trusts.
Burdick, F. M.: The Essentials of Business Law.
Greene, T. L.: Corporation Finance.
Cook, W. W.: The Corporation Problem.
Emery, H. C.: Speculation on the Stock and Produce Exchanges of the United States.
COMMERCIAL GEOGRAPHY
Group 1
Adams, C. C.: A Text-book of Commercial Geography.
Redway, J. W.: New Basis of Geography.
Trotter, Spencer: The Geography of Commerce.
Group 2
Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor (U.S.), especially Commercial Relations of the United States; Consular Reports; Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance.
Twelfth Census of the United States.
Chisholm, G. G.: A Handbook of Commercial Geography.
Keltie, J. S.: Applied Geography.
In addition to the books mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, students will find certain general works of reference of very great value. These may be most conveniently listed under the names dictionaries, periodicals, and general treatises. Every school that aspires to the possession of a working library in our subject should have a considerable number of the books in the following list, together with some of the magazines of most general use in the subject. In the first two groups the books and magazines respectively are given in the order in which the authors would recommend their purchase. For obvious reasons it has not been deemed best to do this in the case of the books mentioned in Group Three, which are therefore given in the alphabetical order of their authors. The student will not find in this book any references to German, French, or Italian authorities that have not been translated. Should he have occasion, in exceptional cases, to refer to such works, he should consult the bibliographies that are to be found in many of the general treatises included in our list
DICTIONARIES
Dictionary of Political Economy. Edited by R. H. Inglis Palgrave.
Cyclopedia of Political Science and Political Economy. Edited by J. J Lalor.
Cyclopedia of Social Reform. Edited by W. D. P. Bliss.
The standard encyclopedias will also be found to contain special articles on very many economic topics.
PERIODICALS
Publications of the American Economic Association.
The Quarterly Journal of Economics.
Political Science Quarterly.
The Yale Review.
The Journal of Political Economy.
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
Municipal Affairs.
Commercial and Financial Chronicle.
Bradstreet’s.
Dun’s Review.
The Bankers’ Magazine. (American.)
GENERAL TREATISES
Andrews, E. B.: Institutes of Economics.
Bullock, C. J.: Introduction to the Study of Economics.
Devine, E. T.: Economics.
Cannan, E.: Elementary Political Economy.
Ely, R. T, Outlines of Economics; also Introduction to Political Economy. (Revised Edition, 1901.)
Davenport, H. J.: Elementary Economics.
Gide, C.: Principles of Political Economy. (Translation.)
Hadley, A. T.: Economics.
Hearn, W. E.: Plutology.
Marshall, A.: Principles of Economics; also Marshall, A. and M.: The Economics of Industry.
Nicholson, J. S.: Principles of Political Economy.
Roscher, W.: Political Economy. (Translation.)
Seager, H. R.: Introduction to Economics.
Sidgwick, H.: Principles of Political Economy.
Walker, F. A.: Political Economy. (Advanced Course.)
Source: Richard T. Ely and George Ray Wicker. Elementary principles of economics. New York: Macmillan, 1904 (Reprinted through 1916 without revision multiple times from this 1904 edition).
Image Source: Dartmouth Aegis, 1916.