John R. Commons: Selected Essays Volume 2

John R. Commons (1862-1945) is one of the most significant figures in the development of American economics, both because of his economic thought and because of his impact on practical affairs. He began as an avid follower of the Social Gospel committed to a program of economic and political reform. Later in his career he became the foremost authority on American labor unions. One of the founders of the Institutional school, Commons developed theories of the evolution of capitalism and of institutional change which continue to influence modern economics. These volumes collect, for the first time, his 40 major essays and articles, produced over the period from 1892 to 1942, spanning virtually the entirety of his career.