Economic essays

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1753623200

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-136107

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Economic essays

Place of publication:: New York

Publisher:: Macmillan

Year of publication:: 1927

Scope:: viii, 368 S.; Ill., graph. Darst.

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: The early teaching of economics in the United States / Edwin R.A. Seligman

Collection:: Economics Books

THE EARLY TEACHING OF ECONOMICS IN THE UNITED STATES 301 upon the Science of Politics.” * A few weeks later he writes as follows: “My studies require considerable labor and exertion. Few sciences are more abstruse are (sic) intricate than that of political economy, yet the extensive information, the compre- hensive and powerful talents of Smith have thrown upon the subject a light which I believe no other man could have given. In this study I have felt most forcibly the inconvenience of hav- ing never studied a system of geography. Upon the subject of politicks (taking this term in its common acceptation) I feel the necessity of historical information.” * These extracts prove beyond the peradventure of a doubt that political economy was taught in 1801. In a subsequent batch of letters, however, we find evidence that it was probably taught in 1799. A letter from one of the students, Chapman Johnson, bearing the date 1799, contains the following: “Finding that I could not get through the Bishop's political course before Tucker's (George Tucker, professor of law) commenced, I have thought it best to join the Seniors. I shall consequently begin Rousseau immediately.” Although this student says nothing of Adam Smith, it appears from the Chandler letter that Smith was studied with Locke and Paine; and Rousseau would naturally be studied in the same COUTSE. The conclusions are as follows: The subject of political economy was certainly taught at William and Mary in 1801, and very probably in 1799. It was probably taught in 1798, if the possession of a copy of the Wealth of Nations by a student in the college in that year may be considered pertinent. There is no proof that the study was included in the curriculum before that date. Inasmuch as the first American edition of the Wealth of Nations was published in 1789, it is almost certain that it was not used as a textbook in the eighties. There is nothing to make us believe that it was taught, as alleged, as early as 1784 for the argument which is used for William and Mary would equally apply to every other college of that date where moral philosophy was taught. ! This letter is dated A. R. 25. Some of the letters are dated Anno Rep. 25, ie., twenty-five years from the Declaration of the Independence or 1801. Letters from William and Mary College 1798-1801, Virginia His- torical Magazine, vol. xxix (1921), 159-160. * Op. cit., p. 166. * Op. cit., p. 266.

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