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Thorstein Veblen and His Amf$Ica THORSTEIN VEBLEN AND HIS AMF$ICA . BooKs BT TuoRSTEJN VEBLEN . THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS THE ENGINEERS AND THE PRICE SYSTEM. THE PLACE OF SCIENCE IN MODERN CIVILISATION THE THEORY OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISE THE INSTINcr OF WORKMANSHIP THE VESTED INTERESTS AND THE COMMON MAN THE HIGHER LEARNING IN AMERICA IMPERIAL GERMANY AND THE INDUSTRIAL . REVOLUTION THE NATURE OF PEACE ABSENTEE OWNERSHIP AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN RECENT TIMES ESSAYS IN OUR CHANGING ORDER ~!IORS~EID VEBLEU !liS A!!ERICA br JOSEPH 00£1l7JAH t:ub:litted in Partial Fulfilment or tho P.cc;uirc:tcnta for tha ,Dczreo ot . Doctor of Philosopb;r · 1n the Faculty o£ Political Science Colu:!l.bia Uni'f ereit,. in the "Studies in History, Economics t~nd .Public .:aw" of' Columbia University. The V1ld.rlg Presa New Iork, 1934 To A.].; V.J., W.C.M., R.G.T.,, who at critical moments in' the course of this inquiry ~ ~ ,, . ·. forgot the principles of the eCOnomic man, and made .· ' . possible its completion;. PREFACE The realm of scholarship knows of. few cases like that of Thorstein Veblen. Th,irty-five years have passed since the publication of The Theory of the Leisure Class, but its author still remains a figure of mys­ tery and his yiews an object of controversy. In the hope that an inquiry into Veblen's life history might throw some light on the meaning of his work, this study was undertaken. I am indebted for information to a host of Veblen's relations, friends, acquaintances, schoolmates, teachers, colleagues. Professors J.M. Clark, Walton Hamilton, R.M. Maciver, and Commissioner Isador Lubin have read various drafts of the manuscript. Four men from the beginning have watched over the various stages of this inquiry with great care and interest.· Virgil Jordan, President of the National Industrial Conference Board? and Professor Rexford Guy Tugwell started the movements making it possible for me to devote my time to the work. To Professor Wesley Clair Mitchell my debts are many and varied. In the decade that has passe~ since he first encouraged me to carry through this project, the study would have expired on more than one occasion had it not. been for his intervention. His apparently. casual comments often threw into broad relief what was implied, but not clearly expressed, in the study. Dr. Alvin Johnson, Director of the New School for Social Research, was never formally my teacher, but in com­ parison with his subtle suggestions and irresponsible conversations, the value of the classroom fades into insignificance. I am also deeply indebted to Miss Elizabeth Todd, Assistant Editor of the Encycloptedia of the Social Sciences, who has worked over the whole manuscript, applying her editorial skill to make sure that the author's meaning, necessarily obscured at times by the close study of the subject, flows clearly and without undue difficulty to the reader. To my wife I owe a great obligation for her typing, patience, and understand­ ing under the strain that dealing with such a figure as Veblen involved. I owe a great debt to the New School for Social Research, which granted me a fourteen-month fellowship in 1930-31, to write the first and basic draft. In the preparation of this and subsequent drafts I have been dependent for guidance primarily upon Dr. Johnson and Professor Mitchell. · JosEPH DoRFMAN Columbia University, September, 1934. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THORSTEIN VEBLEN 1884-. "Kant's Critique of Judgment," 1 Journol of Speculotitie Philosophy, July, PP· z6o-zu. 1891. "Some Neglected Points in the Theory of Socialism," 2 Annols of the Ameri­ can Academy of Political and Social Science, Nov., pp. 34-5-362. 1 1892. "Bohm-Bawerk's Definition of Capital and the Source of Wages," . Quar­ terly Journal of Economics, Jan., pp. 2.4-7-252. "'The Overproduction Fallacy,'" 1 Quarterly Journol of Economics, July, PP· 4-84--4-92. "The Price of Wheat Since 1867," Journol of Political Economy, Dec., pp. 68-103 and appendix pp. 156-161. Review of Thomas Kirkup's A History of Socialism, in Journol of Politl­ cal Economy, March, pp. 30o-302. Review of Otto Warschauer's Geschichte des Socialismus und Communis­ mus im z9. Jahrhundert, in Journal of Political Economy, March, p. 302. "The Food~ Supply and the Price of Wheat," J"ournol of Politico/ Econ- . omy, June, PP· 365-379. Review of B.H. Baden-Powell's The Land-Systems of British India, in Journal of Political Economy, Dec., pp. 112-115. 1894-. Review of Karl Kautsky's Der Parlamentarismus und die Volksgeset:r.gebung und die Socialdemokratie, in Journal of Political Economy, March, pp. 312-31-f.. Review of William E. Bear's A Study of Small Holdings, in Journal of Political Economy, March, pp. 325-326. "The Army of the Commonweal," Journal of Political Economy, June:' PP· 456-461. Review of Joseph Stammhammer's Bibliographie des Socialismus und Communismus, in Journal of Political Economy, June, pp. 474-4-75· Review of Russell M. Garnier's History of the English Landed· Interest (Modern Period), in Journal of Political Economy, June, pp. 475-4-77· Review of Emile Levasseur's "L'Agriculture aux Etats-Unis," in Journol of Political Economy, Aug., pp. 592-596. "The Economic Theory of Woman's Dress," 1 PopultW Science Monthly, Nov., pp. 198-205. 1895. Review of Robert Flint's Socialism, in Journal of Political Economy, March, PP· 24 7-2 52. The Science of Finance, translation of Gustav Cohn's System der Finan:r.­ wissenschaft. 1896. Review of Karl Marx's Misere de Ia Philosophie, in Journal of Political Economy, Dec., pp. 97-98. 1 Republished in Essays in Our Changing Order. 2 Republished in Place of Science in Modern Civilisatien 11nd Other Essays. 519 $10 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THORSTEIN VEBLEN Review of Enrico Ferri'a Socialisme 11 S&ien&e Positioe, in Journal of Po• liticJ Economy, Dec., pp. 98-103. 1897. Review of Richard Calwer'a Einfuhrung in Jm SocWismtu, in JoumJ of Polili&J Economy, March, pp. 27o-272.. Review of G. de Molinari'• L4 V irkultur.-RJentissemenl Je /11 Popult~­ lion--Diglnereseenc.-CIIUSel 11 RemUes, in JoumJ of PoliticJ Econ· ()1'11y, March, pp. 273-275· Review of Antonio Labriola'• EssaiJ IUf' /11 conception matlrWisle Je /'his­ loire, in JoumJ of PoliticJ Economy, June, pp. 39o-391. Review of Werner Sombart'a SoT.ia/ismtu unJ sor.We Bewegung im 19. J•hrhunJerl, in JoumJ of PolitieJ Economy, June, pp. 391-392. Review of N. Ch. Bunge'• Esruissel Je lilllrtllure politico-eeonomirue, in JournJ of PoliticJ Economy, Dec., pp. 116-128. Review of Max Lorenz's Di• M•mtische SocWJemol.ratie, in JoumJ of PoliticJ Econom1, Dec., pp. 136-137• 1898. Review of Gustav Schmoller'a O!Jer einig1 GrunJfr•gen Jer Socia/politi~ unJ tier Volhwirlschaftslehre, in JoumJ of Political Economy, June, PP· •P 6-419. Review of William H. Mallock'a Aristo&ra&J antl Eoolution: A StuJy of the Rights, 1h1 Origin tmtl th1 Social Functiom of the Wealthier Classes, in Journal of Political Econom1, June, pp. 43o-43S· "Why Is Economics Not an Evolutionary Sciencel" 1 Quarterly JournJ o/ Economics, July, pp. 373-397· "The Instinct of Workmanship and the Irksomeness of Labour," 1 Americtm JournJ of Sociology, Sept., pp. 187-201. Review of Turgot, Reflections on the Fomwtion tmtl lhe Distribution o/ Riches, in Journal of PoliticJ Economy, Sept., pp. S7S-S76. ~e Beginnings of Ownership," 1 American JoumJ of Sociology, Nov., PP· 352-365. "The Barbarian Status of Women," 1 Americtm Journal of Sociology, Jan., PP· SOJ-S14· ~899- The Theor1 of lne Leisure Class: an Economic Stutly of the Eoolution of Institutions; title changed in 1912 to The Theory of the Leisure Class: · tm Economic StuJ1 of institutions. "The Preconceptions of Economic Science," 1 Quarter/1 Journal of Eco­ nomics, Jan., pp. 121-150; July, pp. 396-426; Jan., 1900, pp. 24o- 269. Review of.Simon Patten's D«Jelopmenl of English Tlwughl, in Annals of the Americtm AcaJem1 of Political anJ Social Science, July, pp. us-131. ccMr. Cummings's Strictures on The Theory of the Leisure Class," 1 Journal of Political Economy, Dec., pp •.106-117. 1900. Review of Sir \Villiam Crooks' The Wheal ProD/em, ReuiseJ, with tm A,. swer to Various Critics, in Journal of Political Economy, March, pp. 284- 286. Review of Arnold Fischer's Die Entstehung Jes socialen Prohlems, in Jour­ nal of Political Econom1, March, pp. 286-z87. Review of Paul Lafargue's Pamphlets socialistes: Le Jroit a Ia p•esse; L11 I Republished in Essa1s in Our Changing Ord,r. I Republished in Piau of Science in Modern Civilisation and Othu Essays. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THORSTEIN VEBLEN su • religion du capital; L'appetit t~endu; Pie IX ou paradis, in Journal of Political Economy, March, pp. 287-288. Review of G. Tarde's Social Laws; An Outline of Sociology, in Journal of Political Economy, Sept., pp. 562-563. Review of Basil A. Bauroff's The Impending Crisis; Conditions Resulting from the Concentration of Wealth in the United States, in JourntJl of Political Economy, Dec., pp. 159-160. "Industrial and Pecuniary Employments," 2 Publications of the American Economic Association, Series 3, 1901, pp. 190-235. 1901. Science and the Worlingmen, a translation of Die Wissenschaft untl Ju Arbeiter by Ferdinand Lassalle, repul:>lished by German Publication Soci­ ety in The German Classics, 191.1-, vol. 10. "Gustav Schmoller's Economics," 2 Quarterly JourntJl of Economics, Nov., PP· 69-93. 1902. "Arts and Crafts," 1 Journal of Political Economy, Dec., pp. 108-111. Review of Jules Gemaert's and Vte. de Herbais de Thun's Associations in­ dustrielles et commerciales: Federations-Ententes partielle~yndicats -Cartels-Comptoirs-Afftliations-Trusts, in JourntJl of Political Econ­ omy, Dec., pp.
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