ON PXOXOMIC TRAINING IN THIS AND OTHER COLNTRIES. 387 



APPENDIX III. 



On the Condition of Economic Studies in the United Kingdom. 

 By E. C. K. GoNNER. 



Though the full extent of the disadvantages under which economic 

 study in this country suffers can only be realised from a fairly detailed 

 account of its position in the various universities and with relation to 

 certain professions, it will not be out of place to preface this report with a 

 few words as to their nature. 



(a) In the tirst place it is a matter of serious concern that Economics 

 is not regarded as a necessary part of any professional curriculum. This 

 particular hardship, however, might be faced with comparative equanimity 

 were there existent in this country, as for instance in the United States 

 of America, a strong body of popular feeling in support of its study and 

 its efficient teaching. But, despite frequent assertions to the contrary, I 

 believe, and in this I shall have the concurrence of many colleagues engaged 

 in teaching, that there is no such body of feeling. Its absence has been 

 variously accounted for. To a great extent it is no doubt part of the 

 legacy of distrust and misunderstanding due to the false view of Economics 

 placed before a former generation, and it will probably be a long time 

 before the popular conception of an economist as a compound of text-book 

 theory and ignorance of fact can be entirely dispelled. 



(i) Owing largely to the early prominence of the abstract school of 

 ■economic thought in England, the position which the subject holds in the 

 university curricula is far from satisfactory. It is often treated as a subject 

 narrow in scope and subordinate — necessarily and naturally subordinate — 

 to other subjects. But this is by no means the position which it should hold, 

 ajid now that the importance of the studies of economic fact and adminis- 

 tration is more clearly seen, the impossibility of effective teaching within 

 the prescribed lines has become glaringly apparent. At present indeed 

 English economic teaching is without a regular system. It is usually sup- 

 posed that prescribed university courses should offer a means of systematic 

 training in the various subjects, the pass courses of ordinary training, the 

 honours courses of advanced and thorough training. So far as Economics 

 is concerned, this is precisely what the universities do not provide. With 

 some possible exception they offer at the present time little more than 

 general opportunities of showing economic knowledge in examinations 

 primarily devoted to other subjects. 



In the United Kingdom the encouragement of the study of Economics 

 rests entirely with educational bodies. So far as professional examina- 

 tions and curricula are concerned it meets with almost universal neglect. 

 This is wholly so with regard to the examinations qualifying for the 

 practice of law, either as barrister or solicitor, and partly so in the case of 

 the Civil Service Examinations. For these latter Economics may be taken 

 up, as may almost any other subject included in the Sciences and Arts. 

 It is not recognised, that is to say, as more cognate to the administrative 

 callings for which these examinations qualify, than is chemistry, for 

 instance ; indeed, in comparison with many of these other subjects it is at 

 a discount owing to tho smaller maximum of marks assigned to it. In 

 other worJi, it is excluded from the legal curriculum ; in the Civil 



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