Journal of Political Economy Vol. 24 No. 9 1916
Robert F. Hoxie: Investigator and Interpreter
Abstract
It is probably no overstatement to say that modern industrial problems and the part played by the trade-union movement have not been thoroughly understood or accurately examined and interpreted by a large number of our economists and sociologists. In the past too much attention has apparently been given to the study and application of previously conceived theory to industrial conditions and not enough to truly scientific investigation for the purpose of discovering and analyzing the facts. During recent years an evident change has taken place in the academic understanding and viewpoint; less time has been devoted to weighing every industrial or trade-union activity or policy in the scales of sociological or economic theory, and a greater effort has been made to discover and interpret the underlying causes which furnish the very foundation of the human problems arising from modern industry. If we are to discover the facts, and if these are to be intelligently interpreted, it is necessary to separate and analyze all of the factors in the problem, and to have at our disposal well-defined scientific methods by the assistance of which dependable investigations may be made and intelligent interpretation given. Perhaps in no field of the industrial problem has there been less extensive scientific study than in the one occupied by the tradeunion movement. There has been some sympathetic examination by a few men of exceptional training and ability. It is true that the aims and policies of the trade-union movement have not been without a measure of intelligent understanding in the academic world, but it is unfortunately the fact that the trade-union movement in its true significance has had but few competent interpreters in the scientific group. Within recent times, a few scientifically trained investigators and educators have carried out in the field of trade-unionism most valuable research work, which has supplied us with a wealth of historical data and in addition has greatly increased our knowledge
- DOI
- 10.1086/252896
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 884-893
- Language
- en
- Sources
- semanticscholar openalex crossref