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NONTHEMATIC / Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1945)


Alfred Braunthal American Labor in Politics

In recent years, the rise of the Political Action Committee of the Congress of Industrial Organizations was particularly conspicuous. To a broad sector of public opinion this organization appeared to be something basically new in the American labor scene -- doubtless because of a lack of understanding of past and present political activities of the American labor movement. At any rate, PAC was jubilantly hailed on one side of the fence, and furiously attacked, vituperated or dreaded on the other. It may be that an analysis of the recent history of the relationship of the American labor union movement to politics, and especially of the unions’ election campaign of 1944, can shed some light on the nature and effects of the present labor union policy in the political field.

Albert Salomon
Adam Smith as Sociologist

Adam Smith’s work was a junction where three roads merged: the traditions of the science of jus naturae; the trends in British philosophy toward a shifting from reflection on moral goods to analysis of moral acts; and the religion of nature, or deism. Adam Smith succeeded in unifying these three tendencies into an interdependent system comprehending sociology, economics and political science--the social sciences. In his work the social sciences were still one and indivisible, centered around the idea of a "science of the statesman" which would meet the various requirements of controlling social action in its many aspects. Smith was attracted throughout his life by the science of the statesman. What was this science?

Eduard Heimann Industrial Society and Democracy

By many, democracy is expected to be the eventual consummation and culmination of either a liberal or a socialist society. There is only one obstacle to that happy consummation: antiquated privileges which stand in the way of either liberal or socialist equality, and whose elimination is thus the sole and essential condition for the achievement of democracy. In liberal democracy such antiquated privilege is represented primarily by feudal rights and properties, in socialist democracy by capitalist private property as well. How sound is this belief in the inherent tendency of our society toward democracy? Is the functional structure of industrial society becoming more or less democratic? What basis does democracy have in the industrial structure as such? How far is optimism justified?

Frieda Wunderlich The Nationalist Socialist Conception of Landed Property

The social revolution brought about by National Socialism is most apparent in the changes the Nazis have wrought in the conception of property, especially land. Before examining these changes it may be worthwhile, however, to consider briefly the immediate historical background of the National Socialist measures, for attitudes toward property are dynamic and ever changing, a result of the traditions and experiences of past generations

Alfred Schutz Some Leading Concepts of Phenomenology

Except for a few remarks in the final pages, the present paper is not intended as a discussion of the relations of phenomenology and the social sciences, or even as a "popularized" interpretation of phenomenology for social scientists. An attempt to reduce the work of a great philosopher to a few basic propositions understandable to an audience not familiar with his thought is, as a rule, a hopeless undertaking. And in regard to Husserl’s phenomenology there are also several special difficulties. Ultimately, it is to be through laborious analyses, by fearless consistency, and by a radical change in our habits of thinking can we hope to reveal the sphere of a "first philosophy" which complies with the requirements of a "rigorous science" worthy of the name.

Leo Strauss
On Classical Political Philosophy

The purpose of the following remarks is to discuss especially those elements of classical political philosophy which are particularly likely to be overlooked or insufficiently stressed by the schools that are most influential in our time. These remarks are not intended to sketch the outlines of a truly historical interpretation of classical political philosophy. They will have fulfilled their purpose if they point to the way which, I believe, is the only one whereby such an interpretation can eventually be reached.

Frederick Haussmann
Intergovernmental Commodity Control Agreements

Review of International Labour Office. Montreal, 1943


New International Wheat Agreements (Commodity Policy Studies)

Review of work by Joseph s. David, 1942


International Agreements on Conservation of Marine Resources with Special Reference to the North Pacific (Commodity Policy Studies)

Review of work by Jozo Tomasevich, 1943


The World Coffee Economy with Special Reference to Control Schemes

Review of works by Vernon Wickizer, 1943


Tea Under International Regulation

Review of works by Vernon Wickizer, 1944


Petroleum and American Foreign Policy

Review of work by Herbet Feis, 1944

Abba P. Lerner
Production, Jobs, and Taxes

Review of book by Harold M. Groves. New York: McGraw-Hill. 1944. 117 pp

The Liquidation of War Production

Review of book by A.D.H. Kaplan New York: McGraw-Hill. 1944. 133 pp.

August Saenger
Trends in European Social Legislation between the Two World Wars

Review of the book by B. Mirkine Guetzevitch.

Erich Hula
Principles for Peace, Selections from Papal Documents

Review of the book by Harry C.Koenig.

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