The American Academy of Political and Social Science
In 1889, the AAPSS was founded in Philadelphia to promote progress in the social sciences (AAPSS 1889). This initiative was started by German-trained political economists James and Patten, in response to concerns expressed by
GHSE and Establishment of Economic Associations and Journals 187 some adherents of the New School that the AEA was increasingly focusing on the profession and discipline of economics while neglecting other branches of social science.
Divisions also formed between members of the AEA, because many of them believed that the original goals and purposes of the AEA, which were set by Ely, James, and Patten, were too radical.The AAPSS sought to bring ‘in specialized and professionalized experts to voice and confront the problems collectively’ in the different disciplines of the social sciences (ibid.). It basically focused on advancing research on political, economic, social, and policy issues. More specifically, the AAPSS was dedicated to: the ‘accumulation of a library of works pertaining to the subjects cultivated by the Academy’; the ‘encouragement of investigation by the offering of prizes for specified contributions to science’; the ‘publication of valuable papers and reports presented to the Academy either by members or others’; and the ‘dissemination of political and economic knowledge throughout the community by the establishment of public lecture courses in political and social science’ (AAPSS 1897, 16).
James was elected as the inaugural president of the AAPSS at its first meeting, and remained as such until 1895. Subsequently, Roland P. Falkner (1866—1940), who studied economics at Berlin, Leipzig, and Halle, held the position during 1896—1900. He was followed by Samuel McCune Lindsay (1869—1960), who received his PhD from the University of Halle in 1892 and served as president of the AAPSS from 1900 to 1902. Then, from 1902 to 1929, the position was filled by Leo Stanton Rowe (1871-1946), who received his PhD from the University of Halle in 1893.
The AAPSS also included many prominent members that originated from the New School, including Richmond Mayo-Smith (1854-1901), who studied in Berlin during 1875-1877 and then in Heidelberg in 1878; Edward Thomas Devine (1867-1948), who completed his PhD in economics under Patten at the University of Pennsylvania in 1889 and later studied in Germany for one year; Fetter, who obtained his PhD from the University of Halle in Germany in 1894; Kinley, who was significantly influenced by Ely’s lectures and views at both Johns Hopkins University and the University of Wisconsin; Clark, who studied at the University of Heidelberg under Conrad and Knies; Henry Rogers Seager (1870-1930), who studied at Johns Hopkins University under Ely and Herbert Baxter Adams, before furthering his education in Halle, Berlin, and Vienna; and Seligman, who graduated from Columbia College and studied at universities in Berlin, Paris, and Heidelberg.The AAPSS organized annual meetings that ‘historically drew crowds that numbered over 1,000 and garnered widespread coverage from periodicals such as the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Chicago Tribune’ (AAPSS 1889). Moreover, many ‘ambassadors, government officials, politicians, university scholars, and scientific and business organizations’ participated in the meetings (ibid.). Even though the original founders and members of the AAPSS were strongly influenced by the GHSE, all of the goals and ideas of this school of thought were abandoned in the 20th century.