Difference between revisions of "Political Economy"

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The Chair of Commercial and Political Economy and Mercantile Law was instituted by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh in 1871. Unlike other Edinburgh Chairs, this was a fixed-term appointment of seven years. The first holder of the Chair, [[William Ballantyne Hodgson (1815-1880)]], accepted the appointment on the understanding that he would receive life-tenure after five years if his teaching proved successful. Although his classes were popular, Political Economy was not part of any degree course, and, after the trial period, the Merchant Company argued that student numbers were insufficient to merit life-tenure. They nonetheless re-elected Hodgson to the post in 1878, an appointment which he accepted under protest.  
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The teaching of Economics at Edinburgh University began in 1800-1801 when [[Dugald Stewart (1753-1828)]], Professor of [[Moral Philosophy]], first delivered undergraduate lectures in the subject. His example was followed by subsequent holders of the Moral Philosophy Chair until, in 1871, a discrete '''Chair of Commercial and Political Economy and Mercantile Law''' was instituted by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh. Unlike other Edinburgh Chairs, it was a fixed-term appointment of seven years. The first holder, [[William Ballantyne Hodgson (1815-1880)]], accepted appointment on the understanding that he would receive life-tenure after five years if his teaching proved successful. Although his classes were popular, Political Economy was not part of any degree course, and, after the trial period, the Merchant Company argued that student numbers were insufficient to merit life-tenure. They nonetheless re-elected Hodgson to the post in 1878, an appointment which he accepted under protest. Hodgson died suddenly while attending a conference in Brussels in 1880. He was succeeded by [[Joseph Shield Nicholson (1850-1927)]] during whose tenure the Chair was finally made permanent and a Degree in Economic Science was introduced (1898).
  
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== Professors of Political Economy ==
  
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Hodgson was a leading educational reformer. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, he was later Principal of the Liverpool Mechanics' Institute, and of Chorlton High School, Manchester.
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*1871-1880: [[William Ballantyne Hodgson (1815-1880)]]
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*1880-1925: [[Joseph Shield Nicholson (1850-1927)]]
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*1926-1934: [[Sir Frederick Wolff Ogilvie (1893–1949)]]
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*1935-1956: [[Sir Alexander Gray (1882–1968)]]
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*1956-1962: [[Sir Alan Turner Peacock (1922-2014)]]
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*1963-1974: [[Alexander John Youngson (1918-2004)]]
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*1985-1991: [[Gordon Hughes]]
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*1993-1994: [[George Evans]]
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*1996-2000: [[Gary Koop]]
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*2001- : [[John Hardman Moore]]
  
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In 1871 he was appointed as the first Professor of Commercial and Political Economy and Mercantile Law at the University of Edinburgh; unlike all the other Chairs of the day this was a fixed-term appointment of seven years. His classes were popular, even though his subject was not part of any degree curriculum, and he accepted re-appointment in 1878. He died suddenly two years later while attending a conference in Brussels.
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== Second Chair of Political Economy ==
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*1964-1984: [[James Nathan Wolfe (1927-1988)]]
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*1984-2000: [[Brian Main]]
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== Sources ==
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== Sources ==
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*[[Sir Alexander Grant]], ''The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years'', 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)
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*School of Economics, 'History' [[http://www.ed.ac.uk/economics], accessed 25 May 2016]
  
  
 
[[Category:Academic Units]][[Category:Incomplete]]
 
[[Category:Academic Units]][[Category:Incomplete]]

Revision as of 13:11, 25 May 2016

The teaching of Economics at Edinburgh University began in 1800-1801 when Dugald Stewart (1753-1828), Professor of Moral Philosophy, first delivered undergraduate lectures in the subject. His example was followed by subsequent holders of the Moral Philosophy Chair until, in 1871, a discrete Chair of Commercial and Political Economy and Mercantile Law was instituted by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh. Unlike other Edinburgh Chairs, it was a fixed-term appointment of seven years. The first holder, William Ballantyne Hodgson (1815-1880), accepted appointment on the understanding that he would receive life-tenure after five years if his teaching proved successful. Although his classes were popular, Political Economy was not part of any degree course, and, after the trial period, the Merchant Company argued that student numbers were insufficient to merit life-tenure. They nonetheless re-elected Hodgson to the post in 1878, an appointment which he accepted under protest. Hodgson died suddenly while attending a conference in Brussels in 1880. He was succeeded by Joseph Shield Nicholson (1850-1927) during whose tenure the Chair was finally made permanent and a Degree in Economic Science was introduced (1898).

Professors of Political Economy

Second Chair of Political Economy

Sources

Sources

  • Sir Alexander Grant, The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years, 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)
  • School of Economics, 'History' [[1], accessed 25 May 2016]
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