Sophomore Economics Tutorial: Topics in the History of Economic Thought
CSS 220
Spring 2021
| Section:
01
02
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This tutorial uses a topical approach to explore the history of economic thought. We begin with a brief introduction to writers who predated Adam Smith: the scholastics, mercantilists, and physiocrats. Over the subsequent weeks, we compare competing schools of economic thought: classical, Marxian, utilitarian, Austrian, neoclassical, and Keynesian. We include selections of radical critiques from the political right and left including monetarist, supply-side, behavioral, Austrian, evolutionist, and institutional approaches. The theoretical debates both reflect and shed light on the economic and social problems of their time. As you master the material, you should keep several goals in mind. First, learn to link the debates to the economic problems faced by nations over the past 300 years. Second, become skilled at explaining how economic theory has altered its shape and content from the 1700s to the present. Third, sharpen your awareness of the interaction between the scientific and the social aspects of human knowledge. Finally, develop and learn to defend your assessment of mainstream economics; decide which aspects reflect theoretical advancement and which are simply reflections of political agendas or outmoded perspectives. Throughout the course we will use contemporary articles to illustrate modern-day versions of the historical disputes. The course material is designed to provide a fuller context for what you learn in politics, history, and social theory while deepening your understanding of contemporary economic debates. |
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| Credit: 1.5 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS ECON |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Credit/Unsatisfactory |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 - 2nd Trimester |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
:
Hacker, Diana. Pocket Style Manual. (try for editions 6th-8th) New York: Bedford/St. Martins.
Schumpeter, Joseph. Capitalism, Socialism, & Democracy. New York: Harper Perennial.
Pujol, Michele. Feminism and Anti-Feminism in Early Economic Thought. North Hampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 1998.
Recommended Book Purchases and Links to Free On-Line Sources:
Veblen, Thorstein. The Theory of the Leisure Class. We read practically the whole book. LINK http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/veblen/leisure/index.html
Malthus, Thomas. An Essay on the Principle of Population. We read practically the whole book. LINK1(1978);
http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/malthus/popu.txt
Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. We read substantial portions. LINK
http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/smith/moral.html
Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. We read substantial portions. LINK
http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/smith/wealth/index.html
Ricardo, David. Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. We read substantial portions.
You can read or download the document in the form of a pdf at LINK
http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/ricardo/index.html Marx, Karl. Capital, Volume I. We read substantial portions. LINK
http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/marx/index.html
Jevons, W. Stanley. The Theory of Political Economy. We read substantial portions. LINK You can read or download the document in the form of a pdf at http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/jevons/index.html
Keynes, John Maynard. The General Theory. We read the whole book. LINK
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/economics/keynes/general-theory/index.htm
McCloskey, Dierdra. Economical Writing. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press Inc., 1999.
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Examinations and Assignments:
: Weekly papers due at the beginning of each class meeting |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
: Course open to CSS Sophomores only. |
| Instructor(s): Rayack,Wendy Times: .....F. 07:00PM-09:00PM; Location: ONLINE; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 10 | Permission of instructor will be granted during the drop/add period. Students must submit either a ranked or unranked drop/add request for this course. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
| SECTION 02 - 3rd Trimester |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Same as Section 01 Above |
| Examinations and Assignments: Same as Section 01 Above |
| Additional Requirements and/or Comments: Same as Section 01 Above |
| Instructor(s): Rayack,Wendy Times: .....F. 02:00PM-04:00PM; Location: ONLINE; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 10 | Permission of instructor will be granted during the drop/add period. Students must submit either a ranked or unranked drop/add request for this course. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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