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== Life ==
== Life ==
'''Fritz Machlup''' was born December 15, 1902 in Wiener-Neustadt, Austria. He received his doctorate at the University of Vienna in 1923 with a dissertation on the gold bullion stan­dard).
'''Fritz Machlup''' was born December 15, 1902 in Wiener-Neustadt, Austria. He received his doctorate at the University of Vienna in 1923 with a dissertation on the gold bullion stan­dard) and was active in his family cardboard manufacturing business.
Early in 1933, Machlup came to the United States on a Rockefeller scholarship and visited Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Chicago where he met many of the world's leading economists. In May 1935, he received his first appointment as pro­fessor, from the University of Buffalo.
Early in 1933, Machlup came to the United States on a Rockefeller scholarship and visited Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Chicago where he met many of the world's leading economists. In 1935 he returned to Austria, liquidated his business interests, and, in 1936 became a pro­fessor at the University of Buffalo. He served in the United States government during during World War II, and in
In 1947, after having served in the United States government for three-and-a-half years during World War II, Machlup accepted a position at the Johns Hopkins University. In i960, Machlup was called to Princeton University as professor of Economics and director of Princeton's International Finance Section. In 1971, the year be­fore his retirement from Princeton, Machlup began to teach regular courses at New York University. He received a professorship in economics from New York University in 1972 and continued teaching there until he died on January 30, 1983.
1947 Machlup accepted a position at the Johns Hopkins University. In i960, Machlup moved to Princeton University as professor of Economics and director of Princeton's International Finance Section. In 1971, the year be­fore his retirement from Princeton, Machlup began to teach regular courses at New York University. He received a professorship in economics from New York University in 1972 and continued teaching there until he died on January 30, 1983.


== Contributions ==
== Contributions ==
Machlup divided information use into instrumental, intellectual, and pastime knowledge categories. "These categories suggest that there is more to information use than only that which is instrumental in nature. They suggest that there is a broad range of uses each of which is essentially important to human information movement and each of which, therefore, has a legitimate claim to the attention of our field" (Francis L. Miksa).  
Machlup divided information use into instrumental, intellectual, and pastime knowledge categories. He recognized that knowledge was a critical resource and explored the economics of information and of knowledge. He began a 10 volume series, ''Knowledge: Its Creation, Distribution, and Economic Significance'', of which only three were completed.


He recognized and treated knowledge as an information source. He was a major contributor to general and international economic theory. Leonard Silk of the NY Times said that "he was one of the first to see that knowledge was becoming a critical resource." He also worked on the major volume, The Study of Information: Interdisciplinary Messages, which he co-edited with Una Mansfield. He was concerned with the economics of knowledge. He began a 10 volume series Knowledge: Its Creation, Distribution, and Economic Significance--only 3 were completed. He worked at: Professor Economics, NYU; Professor Emeritus, Princeton. 
With Una Mansfield he commissioned and edited a wide-ranging study of how information is understood in several disciplines and added two commentaries: ''The Study of Information: Interdisciplinary Messages'', 1984.


Extensive additional biographical information, and a reference to a biography may be found at: <nowiki>http://www.mises.org/aboutmachlup.asp</nowiki>
Extensive additional biographical information, and a reference to a biography may be found at: <nowiki>http://www.mises.org/aboutmachlup.asp</nowiki>
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*''The production and distribution of knowledge in the United States''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1962.
*''The production and distribution of knowledge in the United States''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1962.
*''Information through the printed word : the dissemination of scholarly, scientific, and intellectual knowledge.'' With Kenneth Leeson and associates. New York: Praeger, 1978-1980. 4 vols.
*''Information through the printed word : the dissemination of scholarly, scientific, and intellectual knowledge.'' With Kenneth Leeson and associates. New York: Praeger, 1978-1980. 4 vols.
*''Knowledge, its creation, distribution, and economic significance''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980-1984. 3 vols. Vol. 1: Knowledge and knowledge production'' 1980;
*''Knowledge, its creation, distribution, and economic significance''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980-1984. 3 vols. V. 1: Knowledge and knowledge production, 1980; v. 2. The Branches of learning, 1982; v. 3: The economics of information and human capital, 1984.
 
*''The Study of information : interdisciplinary messages''. Ed. by Fritz Machlup and Una Mansfield. New York: Wiley, 1983. Note his prologue "Cultural diversity in studies of information," pp 3-57 and his "Semantic quirks in studies of information," pp 641-671.
Vol 3: The economics of information and human capital '', 1984.
*''The Study of information : interdisciplinary messages''. Ed. by Fritz Machlup and Una Mansfield. New York: Wiley, 1983. Note his prologue "Cultural diversity in studies of information," pp 3-57 and his "Semantic quirks in studies of information," pp641-671.


== Offices ==
== Offices ==
* American Economic Association | Pres.
*American Economic Association. President.
* International Economic Association | Pres.
*International Economic Association. President.
* American Association of University Professors | Pres.
*American Association of University Professors. President.


== Awards ==
== Awards ==
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*Malkiel, Burton G.. "Fritz Machlup". In: ''Luminaries: Princeton Faculty Remembered'', ed. by Patricia H. Marks, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997, pp. 182-189.
*Malkiel, Burton G.. "Fritz Machlup". In: ''Luminaries: Princeton Faculty Remembered'', ed. by Patricia H. Marks, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997, pp. 182-189.
*"Fritz Machlup." ''Wikipedia'' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Machlup]
*"Fritz Machlup." ''Wikipedia'' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Machlup]
*Haberler, Gottfried. "Fritz Machlup: In Memoriam," ''Cato Journal'' 3, no. 1 (Spring 1983): 11-14. [       
*Thornton, Mark. ''Biography of Fritz Machlup (1902-1983)''. Mises Institute. 2007. [https://mises.org/articles-interest/biography-fritz-machlup-1902-1983]


== Papers ==
== Papers ==
*Stanford University. Hoover Institute Archives. Fritz Machlup Papers, 1911-1983.
*Stanford University. Hoover Institute Archives. Fritz Machlup Papers, 1911-1983. [https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf000000hs/admin/]

Revision as of 16:11, 22 March 2025

Fritz Machlup (1902-1983) was Austrian American economist.

Life

Fritz Machlup was born December 15, 1902 in Wiener-Neustadt, Austria. He received his doctorate at the University of Vienna in 1923 with a dissertation on the gold bullion stan­dard) and was active in his family cardboard manufacturing business. Early in 1933, Machlup came to the United States on a Rockefeller scholarship and visited Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Chicago where he met many of the world's leading economists. In 1935 he returned to Austria, liquidated his business interests, and, in 1936 became a pro­fessor at the University of Buffalo. He served in the United States government during during World War II, and in 1947 Machlup accepted a position at the Johns Hopkins University. In i960, Machlup moved to Princeton University as professor of Economics and director of Princeton's International Finance Section. In 1971, the year be­fore his retirement from Princeton, Machlup began to teach regular courses at New York University. He received a professorship in economics from New York University in 1972 and continued teaching there until he died on January 30, 1983.

Contributions

Machlup divided information use into instrumental, intellectual, and pastime knowledge categories. He recognized that knowledge was a critical resource and explored the economics of information and of knowledge. He began a 10 volume series, Knowledge: Its Creation, Distribution, and Economic Significance, of which only three were completed.

With Una Mansfield he commissioned and edited a wide-ranging study of how information is understood in several disciplines and added two commentaries: The Study of Information: Interdisciplinary Messages, 1984.

Extensive additional biographical information, and a reference to a biography may be found at: http://www.mises.org/aboutmachlup.asp

Publications

Machlup wrote primarily on economics. Publications relating to information include:

  • The production and distribution of knowledge in the United States. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1962.
  • Information through the printed word : the dissemination of scholarly, scientific, and intellectual knowledge. With Kenneth Leeson and associates. New York: Praeger, 1978-1980. 4 vols.
  • Knowledge, its creation, distribution, and economic significance. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980-1984. 3 vols. V. 1: Knowledge and knowledge production, 1980; v. 2. The Branches of learning, 1982; v. 3: The economics of information and human capital, 1984.
  • The Study of information : interdisciplinary messages. Ed. by Fritz Machlup and Una Mansfield. New York: Wiley, 1983. Note his prologue "Cultural diversity in studies of information," pp 3-57 and his "Semantic quirks in studies of information," pp 641-671.

Offices

  • American Economic Association. President.
  • International Economic Association. President.
  • American Association of University Professors. President.

Awards

Further reading

  • Malkiel, Burton G.. "Fritz Machlup". In: Luminaries: Princeton Faculty Remembered, ed. by Patricia H. Marks, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997, pp. 182-189.
  • "Fritz Machlup." Wikipedia [1]
  • Haberler, Gottfried. "Fritz Machlup: In Memoriam," Cato Journal 3, no. 1 (Spring 1983): 11-14. [
  • Thornton, Mark. Biography of Fritz Machlup (1902-1983). Mises Institute. 2007. [2]

Papers

  • Stanford University. Hoover Institute Archives. Fritz Machlup Papers, 1911-1983. [3]