Edward S. Mason

Edward Sagendorph Mason
Born	February 22, 1899 Clinton, Iowa,U.S.
Died	February 29, 1992 Santa Barbara, California,U.S.
Alma mater	University of Kansas Harvard University
Occupation	Economist
Spouse	Marguerite Sisson La Monte
Children	2 sons, 1 daughter

Edward Sagendorph Mason(February 22, 1899 – February 29, 1992) was an Americaneconomistand professor atHarvard University.He was the Dean of the Graduate School of Public Administration, now known as theJohn F. Kennedy School of Government,from 1947 to 1958. He was the president of theAmerican Economic Associationin 1962.

Early life

Edward Sagendorph Mason was born on February 22, 1899, inClinton, Iowa.His younger brother wasWarren P. Mason,who became an electrical engineer and physicist.He graduated from theUniversity of Kansasin 1919.He entered Harvard University, where he was aRhodes scholarat theUniversity of Oxfordduring his master's degree.He earned a PhD in Economics from Harvard University in 1925.His thesis supervisor wasFrank William Taussig.

Career

Mason taught a course on the history of socialism in the Department of Economics at his alma mater, Harvard University, in the 1920s and 1930s.He was elected to theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciencesin 1933.He became a tenured professor in 1936.In 1954, he was elected to theAmerican Philosophical Society.He was the dean of the Graduate School of Public Administration, now known as theJohn F. Kennedy School of Government,from 1947 to 1958.He was the founder of the Development Advisory Service, now known as theHarvard Institute for International Development,in 1963.

Mason worked for theOffice of Strategic ServicesduringWorld War II.He was an early economist at theUnited Nationsand theMarshall Plan.He was also a consultant to theWorld Bank.

Mason was the president of the American Economic Association in 1962. He became known for his work inindustrial organization,an area in which provided direct inspiration toJoe Bainfor hisSCPmodel, and in development economics.

Personal life and death

Mason married Marguerite Sisson La Monte on April 4, 1930.They had two sons and a daughter.

Mason died on February 29, 1992, in Santa Barbara, California.

Selected works

• Mason, E. (1926) The doctrine of comparative cost.Quarterly Journal of Economics41, November 63–93.JSTOR1885553
• Edward S. Mason; Robert E. Asher (1 December 2010).The World Bank since Bretton Woods.Brookings Institution Press.ISBN978-0-8157-2030-0.