From Harry Pearson (1 February 1958)
Bennington College
Bennington, Vt.
Febr. 1, 1958
Dear Karl,
I have gone ahead to set up the meeting for Febr. 15, that being a good date for Paul. It promises to be an interesting meeting, for Paul has run into an unrelenting wall of resistance from those -- mainly an economist -- who were sponsors of this book[1] and who were going to publish it but now apparently refuse to do so. This, as he explains it, is another example of the stern refusal by the economists (and, I think, others) to consider a substantive position for comparative economics. I really didn't believe this to be true, but now I small blood and feel that the battle is on!
All the more important, then, that the things we are doing be accomplished and secured. I now begin to see my way with the Commons book[2] which will be for me a thorough study on several levels: a comparison of Weber-Parsons approach with that of the concrete, operational institutionalists, whose interest is the economy; an examination of the American contribution through Commons; and finally a critical examination of Institutionnalism[.] In all of this there is more than one battle to fight.
I will have to save the many questions I have to ask you for the 14th or 16th.
As ever,
(signed) Harry
Editor's Notes
Letter Informations
KPA: 50/02, 33