Emil Lederer: Business Cycles, Crises, and Growth

Economist Emil Lederer was exposed to diverse influences. In Vienna, Austria, he was a student of Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk and Friedrich Von Wieser. His supervisor in Munich, Germany, where he received a second doctoral degree, was Lujo Brentano. Emil Lederer's work in economics reflects this rich background. On the one hand, there are roots in the German historical school with its holistic approach to economic and social phenomena, but also its meticulous empirical investigations, detailed collection, and examination of facts. On the other hand Lederer's roots are in the Austrian school, stressing theoretical analysis and deductive reasoning. Lederer's sense of the overall importance of the issues raised by technical change is highlighted in his discussion of the links between the changes in production technology, social organization, and politics as exemplified in his 1934 article, where the emergence of fascist governments is discussed.