12 - Professional Life – Largely British

Summary

For Harry, LSE economics was part of several British networks. He resumed his connection with the Association of University Teachers of Economics and in a contest with Richard Lipsey was elected president for three years in 1968. By virtue of his LSE position, he joined the Council of the Royal Economic Society. He also joined the Council (and later the Executive Committee) of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research. In 1968 he became a member of the London Political Economy Club, founded in 1821 with Robert Malthus, David Ricardo, and James Mill among its original members. He became involved in the making of science policy when he joined the Council on Science Policy in 1968.

With these connections, Harry tried to shape his profession's response to changing circumstances and opportunities. Some of his initiatives reflected his American and Canadian experience in discussions of public policy, where he thought there were lessons that could be learned; others reflected the changing English economics profession in a world of expanding enrolments and new universities, for the “typical situation of young people just starting out” in the profession had changed markedly in less than 20 years.

[W]hen I started my career in Cambridge, there were very few significant economics departments in the country; most of these were fairly large in numbers; and the proportion of junior to senior faculty was fairly low. Hence young people could establish their reputations by personal contact with their senior colleagues and become recognized in advance of any major publications; and they could readily obtain assistance, advice and comments on their work from their seniors.[…]