Commons, J. R
(1862.10.13-1945.5.11)
Birthplace Hollandsburg, Ohio, USA.
Posts Held Teacher Econ., Univs. Wesleyan, Oberlin, Indiana and Syracuse, 1890-9; Prof., Univ. Wisconsin, 1904.
Degree BA Oberlin Coll., 1888.
Offices and Honours Prs., American Economic Assosiation.
Publications Books: 1. The Distribution of Wealth (1893, 1968); 2. A Documentary History of American Industrial Society , 10 vols (1910-11, 1958); 3. History of Labor in the United States , 4 vols (1918-35); 4. Legal Foudations of Capitalism (1924, 1959); 5. Institutional Economics (1934, 1959); 6. Myself (1934, 1963); 7. The Economics of Collective Action , ed. K. H. Parsons (1950, 1956).
Career Both a theorist and a successful maker of economic policy. His early interest in both the German historical school and marginalism was the inspiration for The Distribution of Wealth . In his later theoretical works he developed an analysis of collective action by the State, and a wide range of other institutions, which he saw as essential to understanding economic life. This institutional theory was closely related to his remarkable successes in factfinding and drafting legislation on a wide range of social issues for the State of Wisconsin. The State became a laboratory for progressive innovations whose success later gave Commons a similar role at the federal level. Indeed, his practical work has been remembered more favourably than his theory which reached its fullest form in Institutional Economics . He was also a major histotian of American labour.
Secondary Literature J. Dorfman, `Commons, John R.', International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences , D. L. Sills (ed.) (Macmillan and Free Press, 1968), vol. 3; L. G. Harter, John R. Commons: His Assault on Laissez-Faire (Oregon State Univ. Press, 1962).
Major works of John R. Commons
The Distribution of Wealth, 1893.
Social Reform and the Church, 1894.
Proportional Representation, 1896.
"A Sociological View of Sovereignty", 1899, American J of Sociology.
Trade Unionism and Labor Problems, 1905.
Races and Immigrants in America, 1907.
"Tariff Revision and Protection for American Labor", 1908, Annals of AAPSS.
"American Shoemakers, 1648-1895: A sketch of industrial evolution", 1909, QJE.
A Documentary History of American Industrial Society, with others, 1910-11.
"Organized Labor's Attitude Toward Industrial Efficiency", 1911, AER
Labor Administration, 1913.
Principles of Labor Legislation with J.B. Andrews, 1916.
History of Labor in the United States, 1918.
"Economic Reconstruction: Foreign and Domestic Investments", 1918, AER
Industrial Goodwill, 1919.
"Review of the S. and B. Webb's History of Trade Unionism", 1920, AER
"The Webbs' Constitution for the Socialist Commonwealth", 1921, AER
Industrial Government, with others, 1921.
"Secular Trend and Business Cycles: A classification of theories" with H.L. MacCracken and W.E. Zeuch, 1922, REStat.
Legal Foundations of Capitalism, 1924.
"Institutional Economics", 1931, AER
Institutional Economics: Its place in political economy, 1934.
Myself, 1934.
The Economics and Collective Action, 1950.
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