The Academic Mind and Reform

The book explores the impactful legacy of economist Richard T. Ely, who championed liberal social principles and actively participated in public debates on key social issues during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By analyzing Ely's extensive writings and personal papers, Benjamin G. Rader highlights his role as a leading voice of the New Economics, which laid the groundwork for institutional economics. Ely's contributions significantly shaped higher education and influenced prominent economists, while also advancing emerging disciplines like political economy and sociology.