| 1900, 13 February |
Henry Roy Forbes Harrod is born to Henry Dawes Harrod and
Frances Forbes-Robertson. |
| 1907 |
Roy's father looses everything on the stock exchange, and
he will never recover his fortune. |
| 1911 |
Harrod wins a scholarship to St. Paul's School, London |
| 1913 |
Harrod enters Westminster School, London. His main interest
is in classics |
| 1917, December |
Harrod is elected New College Scholar. Now he is more interested
in History. |
| 1918, Lent term |
Harrod is Monitor of Ashburnham House, Westminster School
(82 pupils) |
| 1918 |
Harrod's father dies. |
| 1918 |
Harrod joins the army as a Cadet, but the armistice came
while he was still training. |
| 1919, 21 January |
Harrod matriculates at New College. He takes "Greats",
i.e. Classics |
| 1919-1921 |
Greats at New College. Harrod attendeds the following lectures:
H. W. B. Joseph on "Plato, Republic I-IV"; E. M. Walker on "Aristotle,
'Politeia", M. Holroyd, "Outlines of Ancient History, B.C. 415 to 146",
M. N. Tod, "Greek historical inscriptions", E. M. Walker on "Peloponnesian
War", J. A. R. Munro on "Athenian History", W. D. Ross, " Introduction
to Metaphisics", J. L . Stocks's lectures on "Aristotle, Ethics", W. H.
Moberly on "Locke, Berkeley and Hume", Lindsay on "Theory of the State",
J. A. Smith, "Metaphisics" and "The Conception of value in Aestetics and
Logic", "The Judgement", by H. H. Joachim, "Tacitus, Annals I and XI-XVI",
by H. M. Last, J. C. G. Anderson, "Geography and Civilization of the Eastern
Roman Provinces (Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt)", J. L. Myres, "Informal Instruction
(Alexander)" , H. B. W. Joseph's lectures on "Justice and Wages", G. H.
Hardy, "Elements of Mathematics for Philosophers", "Tacitus, Annals I and
XI-XVI", by H. M. Last, J. A. Smith, "Memory", E. M. Walker on "Diodorus,
Book XVI" |
| 1919-22 |
Harrod takes par in various Clubs and Societies activities:
XX Club, Oxford Union Society, New College Essay Society, Jowett Society,
Russell and Palmerstone |
| 1919, December |
Harrod canvasses for John Simon, unsuccessfully fighting
a by-election at Spen Valley |
| July 1921 |
Harrod gets a first class in Greats. |
| 1921-22 |
Harrod takes Modern History. In one year he
gains another First Class |
| 1922, July |
Harrod is elected Lecturer at Christ Church. The college
grants him two terms leave to get acquainted with the new subject he will
have to teach: economics (for a few years, however, Harrod also taught
history) |
| 1922, Michaelmas |
Harrod is at King's College; he takes weekly essays to
Keynes; he is scheduled to read a paper on "Should Pigou be read in Oxford"
before the Ec. Society, and an essay on "Self" before the Moral Science
Club (10 November); frequently dines and had tea with Braithwaite and Ramsey |
| 1923, Hilary |
Harrod is in Berlin; he attends lectures by Prof. Bonn
and Melchior Palyi; slow progress in reading German |
| 1923, 3 July |
Harrod is accepted as a Lecturer in History and Economics
at Christ Church |
| 1923, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Money" |
| 1924, Hilary |
Harrod teaches on "English Currency and Banking Problems
(XIX Century) |
| 1924, 7 May |
Harrod is officially elected Student of Christ Church |
| 1924, July |
Harrod consider to apply for a post in philosophy at New
College; this leads to the reduction of his burden of History teaching
at Christ Church |
| 1924, September |
Harrod holds a class for the Worker's Education Association |
| 1924, Michaelmas |
Harrod teaches on "Monetary Theory" |
| 1924, December |
Edgeworth invites Harrod to review H. Bosanquet's Free
Trade; this was eventually published in EJ, June 1925 |
| 1925, Hilary |
Harrod teaches "Monetary Theory (cont.)" and "English Currency
and Banking Problems (XIX Century). |
| 1925, March |
Harrod plans to get paid tutorials in mathematics |
| 1925, April |
Harrod accepts to read a paper to the British Association:
"The Trade Cycle and the Theory of Distribution" |
| 1925, May |
Harrod canvasses for Asquith in the election for the Chancellorship
of the University |
| 1925 August |
Harrod is involved, as Secretary, in a research on Cartels
for the British (later Royal) Institute of International Affairs. |
| 1925, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on Ricardo. Topics included: "R.s Theory
of value"; "Determination of value"; "Population"; "Taxation"; "Theory
of value and theory of distribution" |
| 1925, November |
Harrod is appointed tutor for classes in Economics for
the Joint Committee for the Promotion of the Higher Education of Working
People |
| 1926, Jan.-Feb. |
Harrod considers writing a book on the Federal
Reserve System; he discusses with Macgregor of lecturing on the topic. |
| 1926, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Monetary theory" |
| 1926 Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Monetary Theory (cont.) and on the
"Federal Reserve System (8 lectures)" |
| 1926, May |
Harrod criticises Robertson's Banking Policy and the
Price Level. This will lead to the publication of a review in 1927. |
| 1926, September |
Harrod reviews
I. Fisher's Mathematical Investigations |
| 1926, October |
Harrod accept to associate in the General Federation of
Trade Unions' Research on the causes and possible remedies to unemployment,
for which he writes three memoranda (one of which published, 1928) |
| 1926, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Banking and Currency problems in England
XIX Century)" and on "Some Problems in Economic Theory" |
| 1926, November |
Harrod reads a paper on "Moral and Arithmetics" to the
Philosophical, and discusse it in correspondence with Joseph. |
| 1926, December |
Harrod reviews Leaf's Banking for the EJ (published
in March, 1927, approved by Keynes) |
| 1926, Xmas |
Harrod becomes Junior Censor at Christ Church (until
1929) |
| 1927, January |
Keynes asks Harrod to write a book on International Economics.
Harrod at first does not feel up to the task. He actually starts writing
it in 1932, probably as a consequence of the 1931 events, and the book
will eventually appear in 1933 |
| 1927, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Money" |
| 1927, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Ricardo" |
| 1928, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "International Economics" and on "Federal
Reserve System (4 lectures)" |
| 1928, July |
Harrod writes "Notes on
Monopoly and Quasi-Competition", the paper where he introduces the marginal
revenue concept. Keynes and Ramsey find that part of the paper "neat",
but are doubtful about other parts, and the paper is rejected. Ramsey later
withdrew his objections, and the paper was published in 1930. |
| 1928, July or August |
Harrod suffers from a nervous breakdown. |
| 1928, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Money" |
| 1929 |
Harrod is elected to the Hebdomadal Council |
| 1929, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Money (cont.)" |
| 1929, March |
The committee of University Lecturers recomends the appointment
of Harrod as University lecturer in Economics |
| 1929, July |
Harrod applies for membership to The Athenæum;
the election takes place in 1933 |
| 1929, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Economic Theory I, Classical (Ricardo)". |
| 1929, Xmas |
Harrod become Senior Censor
at Christ Church, until the end of 1931. |
| 1930, 22 January |
Harrod takes part in the discussion of Robertson's paper
on "How do we want gold to behave" at Chatham House (this was part of the
research leading to the publication of The International Gold Problem,
1931, pp. 29-30 |
| 1930, January |
Harrod takes part in the Committee
of Inquiry into the Bodleian Library. Meetings end in March 1931; Harrod
writes a minority report. |
| 1930, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Modern Economic Theory" |
| 1930, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Federal Reserve System" |
| 1930, June |
Harrod's "Note on Supply"
(a revised version of a manuscript submitted in 1928)
appears in the Economic Journal. |
| 1930, Autumn |
Harrod visits a number of US libraries. He meets Whitehead
(with whom he was in friendly terms when Whitehead was in England), and
is told about Nicod's work: "When I visited Harvard in 1930, Alfred North
Whitehead told me that he regarded Nicod as one of the most distinguished
philosophers of recent vintage and how much he regretted his death". Harrod
later supervised a new translation of Nicod's book into English. |
| 1931, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Money" |
| 1931, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Federal Reserve System" |
| 1931, March |
Harrod supplies an entry on "Member Bank" for the Oxford
English Dictionary. Other entries will follow. |
| 1931, October |
Harrod is exasperated by the political situation; he delivers
speeches as a Liberal in support of free trade Labour candidates where
there is a straight fight against a Conservative. He writes a pamphlet
on Tariffs; this probably stimulates him to start working at International
Economics. |
| 1931, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Ricardo" |
| 1931, December |
Harrod's "The Law of Decreasing Costs" is published in
the Economic Journal; Joan Robinson points out a mistake in the
diagram |
| 1932, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Problems in Economic Theory" |
| 1932, March |
A draft of International Economics is ready and
is discussed with Robertson; later other drafts are discussed also with
James Meade and Keynes. |
| 1932, April-September 1933 |
Harrod is engaged in a debate on Decreasing Costs, in print
(in the Economic Journal) and in correspondence, with R. G. D. Allen,
Kahn, Joan Robinson, Shove. |
| 1932, June-November |
Harrod writes several letters to the press to influence
economic policy. |
| 1932, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Money" |
| 1933 |
Harrod is elected as a member of the Council of the Royal
Economic Society |
| 1933, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Money (Cont.)" |
| 1933, February |
Harrod is offered the Chair of Economics at Liverpool,
which he does not accept. |
| 1933, 14 March |
Harrod delivers a lecture on Utility at the L.S.E. |
| 1933, April |
Harrod discusses with Robertson of Keynes's `Foreign balance'
doctrine and of the saving-investment relationship |
| 1933, October |
Harrod reviews Pigou's Theory of Unemployment (published
Economic Journal, 1934) |
| 1933, October |
Harrod is invited to contribute a review
article on imperfect competition for the Quarterly Journal of Economics
(eventually published in August 1934) |
| 1933, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Some questions of economic theory" |
| 1933, November |
Harrod, with some of his Oxford colleagues, writes a letter
to President Roosevelt |
| 1934, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Some points of Trade Cycle Theory".
These are Harrod's only inter-war lectures on the trade cycle. |
| 1934, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Introduction to Money" |
| 1934, June |
Harrod suggests to Meade and Henderson to begin some factual
inquiries. From this, the Oxford Economists Research Group will grow out. |
| 1934, August - Feb-1935 |
Harrod discusses of saving and investment with Haberler,
Robertson and Kahn (from the latter he first hears of the recent developments
in Keynes's thought, but the correspondence indicates that he failed to
understand what was going on) |
| 1934, November |
Harrod presents a scheme to the Board of Social Sciences
Studies towards the reform of social studies (which was under discussion
at the time resulting, among other things, in the creationof the Oxford
Institute of Statistics) involving specialization in mathematical and analytical
economics |
| 1934, November |
Harrod writes on population in Oxford Magazine.
This begins a long series of articles in the press and in learned journals. |
| 1934, 25 November |
Harrod speaks at Christ Church on "Utilitarianism
Revised" before the Philosophical Society. This is published in 1936
in Mind. |
| 1934, December |
Harrod helps the philosopher Ayer to find a position at
Christ Church, by inducing Moore and Whitehead to write in his favour. |
| 1935, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Currency and Credit"; twice weekly |
| 1935, March-April |
Harrod begins experimenting with the acceleration principle
in connection with the trade cycle and growth (he probably learned of this
possibility from Haberler's draft (1934) of the first part of what was
to become Prosperity and Depression (1937), which he discussed at
length with the author. (see Harrod's brief
review) |
| 1935, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Federal Reserve System": once weekly |
| 1935, July |
Harrod takes part in the Meeting of Economists organized
by the Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, held on 11&endash;13 July 1935,
with the participation of F. Bauduin, M. Ansiaux, L. Dechesne, G. De Leener,
R. Miry, B. S. Chlepner, G. Craen, L. H. Dupriez, R. P. Muller (Belgium),
Bertrand Nogaro (France), Harrod, Henderson and Keynes (Great Britain),
Ohlin (Sweden) and G. M. Verryn Stuart (Netherlands). He reads a paper
on "A Comment on the Questions for Discussion" |
| 1935, July-Sept. |
Harrod reads the proofs of Keynes's General Theory,
and discusses them at length with the author. |
| 1935, Sept.-Nov. |
Harrod discusses with Robertson of saving, investment and
lags with respect to the General Theory, to his review of Durbin's book,
and to Robertson's Ts on "Money Flows" |
| 1935, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Economic Theory" (twice weekly) and
on "Ricardo" |
| 1935, October |
Harrod submits "Utilitarianism
Revised" to Mind; this is eventually published in April 1936 |
| 1935, 11 Nov. |
Harrod start thinking of writing an article relating the
General Theory to traditional theory. This will eventually be read at the
Oxford meetig of the Econometric society, and published in Econometrica
in February 1937 as "Mr.
Keynes and Traditional Theory" |
| 1936, 10 Jan. |
Harrod reads a paper in Copenhagen on "The choice of a
Currency Policy" where his trade cycle theory is first outlined. |
| 1936, January-June |
Harrod writes The Trade Cycle and discusses it with
Meade, Robertson, Henderson, M. Allen |
| 1936, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Economic Theory (Cont.)". |
| 1936, 31 January |
The Oxford
Economists' Research Group begins the interviews with entrepreneurs. |
| 1936, March |
Harrod is elected ordinary member of the Oxford University
Political Economy Club |
| 1936, March-April |
Harrod discusses with the author of Hederson's "Mr. Keynes's
Theory" |
| 1936, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Introduction to Money" |
| 1936, August-October |
Harrod backs Lindemann's candidature as an Independent
Conservative in the Oxford University by-election. |
| 1936, September-June 1939 |
"We must have larger families" inaugurates a long series
of articles on the population question |
| 1936, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Introduction to Money (Cont.)" |
| 1936, 2 Dec. |
Harrod opens a discussion at the Oxford University Political
Economy Club on "Can economic measures avert the impending extinction of
the human species?" |
| 1936, December |
Harrod and Robertson discuss of their reciprocal interpretations
of Keynes |
| 1937 |
Harrod is elected Honorary Secretary of the Royal Economic
Society (jointly with L. L. Price). |
| 1937, Hilary |
Harrod lectures on "Population". Once weekly |
| 1937, Jan.-Oct. |
Harrod argues out with Hawtrey The Trade Cycle and
Hawtrey's Capital and Employment |
| 1937, February |
Harrod, Robertson and Keynes discuss of the foreign trade
multiplier in connection with Harrod's Trade Cycle |
| 1937, February |
Harrod's "teaching in Oxford" gives rise to praise for
the words on Edgeworth, and to Robbins's bitter reaction |
| 1937, Feb.-June |
After attending Keynes's Galton Lecture before the Eugenics
Society, Harrod discusses with him of roundaboutess and demand for capital;
later this factor will be discussed
with Hawtrey and Joan Robinson (in May, in connection with Harrod's
review of her Essays in the Theory of Employment), leading to Harrod's
notion of neutrality for technical progress |
| 1937, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on the "Federal Reserve System" |
| 1937, May |
Harrod signes Meade's collective letter to The Times on
"Action against a Slump", and comments upon it. |
| 1937, spring or Summer |
Harrod is engaged to Whilelmine "Billa" Cresswell |
| 1937, July |
The Manchester Guardian published two articles by Harrod,
"Action against a Slump" |
| 1937, July |
Harrod is invited to discuss Tinbergen's statistical investigation
on Business Cycle Theory. The meetings will take place in Geneva in September |
| 1937, end of August |
Harrod reads a paper on the OERG's interviews to entrepreneurs
before the British Association. |
| 1937, Michaelmas |
Harrod teaches on "Economic Theory" and on "Economic Organization
in Britain" |
| 1937, December |
Harrod is elected President of Section F of the British
Association, and starts organizing the meeting to be held in Cambridge
in August 1938. |
| 1938, 8 January |
Harrod marries Billa |
| 1938, Lent term (the first term in the year is renamed) |
Harrod lectures on "Economic Theory (Cont.)" |
| 1938, April |
"the Future of Gold" is published in The Banker; a copy
is sent to Churchill |
| 1938, May-Aug. |
Harrod and Kaldor discuss on the rate of interest and demand
for capital |
| 1938, July-August |
Harrod and Robertson discuss of the latter's "A Survey
of Modern Monetary controversy"; Harrod introduces the idea of a `normal'
rate of growth. |
| 1938, July-August |
Harrod drafts
the "Essay in Dynamic Theory", where the famous growth rate formulas
are first expounded. In august-September this is discussed at length with
Keynes and Marschak. A drastically revised version will appear in the Economic
Journal, March 1939 |
| 1938, summer |
Harrod thinks of a second edition of The Trade Cycle,
and eventually proposes to gather a collection of essays under the title
Beyond the traditional Economics |
| 1938, July-Sept. 1939 |
Harrod writes a series of articles on the recession, as
a consequence of which he is invited to give evidence to, and later to
collaborate with, the Parliamentary Monetary Committee |
| 1938, October-spring 1939 |
Harrod is involved in the attempt to organise an electoral
pact between the forces opposing the National Government |
| 1938, Michaelmas |
Harrod lectures on "Introduction to Money" |
| 1938, Sept.-Oct. |
Harrod revises International Economics |
| October 1938-April 1939 |
Harrod advertises mercenary lectures on "Banking Policy
and the Trade Cycle", "Trade Recession and Defence Expenditure" and "Our
Declining Birth-Rate" |
| 1938 or 1939 |
Harrod is elected by the Nuffield Committee to a Faculty
Fellowship at Nuffield College (Faculty Fellows being Fellows of Nuffield
belonging also to other Colleges) |
| 1939, Lent |
Harrod teaches on the "Federal reserve System" and on "Cost
and Profit" |
| 1939, Trinity |
Harrod lectures on "Introduction to Money (8 lectures)" |
| 1939, July |
the BBC broadcasts a lecture by Harrod on Marx for 6th
form students |
| 1939, July-August |
Harrod sends a memorandum to the Treasury on using the
gold in the Exchange Eq. Accont to buy commodities; a further memo is sent
to Hawtrey |
| 1939, August-September |
Harrod writes to Hawtrey and Keynes to get a position in
the Treasury |