Robert Hessen Explained
Robert Hessen (September 1936 – April 15, 2024) was an American economic and business historian. He was a professor at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and a senior research fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution.[1] He was an Objectivist and authored several books, analyzing business and economic issues from an Objectivist perspective.
Early life and education
Robert Hessen was born in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Queens College, his Master of Arts from Harvard University, and then his Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University.
Career
Prior to joining the Hoover Institution and taking his position at Stanford, he taught at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University.
He was associated with philosopher Ayn Rand for 25 years, contributed articles to two of her periodicals, as well as her book, . He was a featured commentator on Milton Friedman's award-winning PBS television documentary series, Free to Choose.
In 1985, Hessen became one of the founding board of governors of the Ayn Rand Institute.[2] In 2000, he joined the Board of Advisors of The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies.[3]
Among the books he wrote are and In Defense of the Corporation. He was also the editor of the multi-volume series Hoover Archival Documentaries. He was featured in shorter works in such diverse publications as The New York Times, Barron's, Business History Review, Labor History, The Hastings Law Journal and the Journal of Law and Economics. His essays, discussing capitalism and presenting a private-property-and-contractual model of corporations, were published in the Fortune Encyclopedia of Economics and the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.
Hessen died at Stanford Hospital on April 15, 2024, at the age of 87.[4]
Books
Hessen's books include:
- (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1975)[5]
- In Defense of the Corporation (Hoover Institution Press, 1979)[6]
- Does Big Business Rule America? (edited, Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1982)[7]
- Berlin Alert: The Memoirs and Reports of Truman Smith (edited, Hoover Institution Press, 1984)[8]
- Breaking with Communism: The Intellectual Odyssey of Bertram D. Wolfe (edited, Hoover Institution Press, 1990)[9]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Bernie Is Not a Socialist and America Is Not Capitalist . Tupy, Marian . TheAtlantic.com . November 29, 2017.
- Announcements . . December 1984 . 5 . 6 . 13–15.
- Web site: Adisors - The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies . The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies . April 17, 2024.
- Web site: Robert Hessen: September 1936 – April 15, 2024 . Hoover Institution . April 17, 2024 . April 17, 2024.
- Reviews of Steel Titan:
- News: Robert C. . Alberts . Steel Titan . . December 28, 1975 . 16 .
- Gerald G. . Eggert . Review . . 81 . 4 . October 1976 . 986–987 . 10.2307/1865061 . 1865061.
- Arthur . Ekirch . Steel Titan: The Life of Charles M. Schwab . . November 1976 .
- Harold C. . Livesay . Review . . 50 . 3 . Autumn 1976 . 385–387 . 10.2307/3113003 . 3113003 . 156354220.
- Glenn . Porter . A Picture from Life's Other Side: Pocket Robber Baron . . 4 . 3 . September 1976 . 415–420 . 10.2307/2701459 . 2701459.
- Roger D. . Simon . Review . . 44 . 4 . October 1977 . 371–372 . 27772488.
- W. Ross . Yates . Review . . 100 . 4 . October 1976 . 556–558 . 20091117.
- Steel Titan: The Life of Charles M. Schwab . . November 1, 1976 .
- Reviews of In Defense of the Corporation:
- Richard D. Auster, Southern Economic Journal,
- Barry D. Baysinger, Public Choice,
- Robert C. Downs, UMKC Law Review, https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/umkc48&section=32
- John C. Goodman, Journal of Economic Literature,
- Donald L. Kemmerer, The Business History Review,
- F. G. Kempin Jr., American Business Law Journal, https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/ambuslj18&section=17
- Edwin A. Locke, The Academy of Management Review,
- Henry G. Manne, University of Miami Law Review, https://repository.law.miami.edu/umlr/vol33/iss5/13
- Lee E. Preston, The Bell Journal of Economics,
- Walter Werner, Columbia Law Review,
- Studia Diplomatica,
- Review of Does Big Business Rule America?:
- James W. Brock, Review of Industrial Organization,
- Reviews of Berlin Alert:
- Justus D. Doenecke, "A Military Observer in Hitler's Reich", Reviews in American History,
- Michael Dunne, International Affairs,
- Manfred Jonas, Military Affairs,
- Fritz Stern, Foreign Affairs,
- Review of Breaking with Communism:
- Donald W. Treadgold, Russian History,