Chandler the Misesian?

16 January 2007 at 1:02 am Peter G. Klein Leave a comment

| Peter Klein |

I spent some time a couple of summers ago reading through Murray N. Rothbard’s personal correspondence, housed with the rest of his papers at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Ala. Rothbard was an extremely prolific writer, and his many letters — long, detailed, provocative, and funny — are as valuable and informative as his published writings.

I came across one curious exchange of letters from the early 1950s between Rothbard and Alfred D. Chandler, Sr., father of Harvard’s Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. Rothbard is describing his plans for producing a textbook expounding Misesian principles (what became Man, Economy, and State). Chandler writes: “I would like to show you what I have already done on a popular Mises, as well as to discuss plans for its future. Also as you say it is time for all good ‘Misesians’ to come to the aid of the party.” In a subsequent letter Rothbard notes: “As a Misesian, I think you’ll be interested in learning that the latest issue of the American Economic Review, just published, has its lead book review devoted to [Mises’s] Human Action. . . .”

Chandler Jr. tells me he doesn’t recall his father working on any such “popular Mises.” Mises’s student Percy Greaves later came out with a glossary, Mises Made Easier, and Bob Murphy is currently preparing a study guide for Human Action. But no record of Chandler, Sr.’s project seems to have survived. If readers know anything about this, please let me know.