Steven Horwitz
Encyclopedia
Steven Horwitz is an American
economist of the Austrian School
.
to Ronald and Carol Horwitz. He was raised in Oak Park, Michigan
and graduated from Berkley High School in Berkley, Michigan
in 1981. He graduated cum laude with an A.B.
in Economics and Philosophy from The University of Michigan in 1985, where he was also active with several libertarian student groups and where he wrote and performed with the Sunday Funnies/Comedy Company sketch comedy group.
He received his M.A.
(1987) and Ph.D.
(1990) in Economics from George Mason University
in Fairfax, Virginia
. At George Mason, he studied with Don Lavoie
(who chaired his dissertation committee), George Selgin
, Karen Vaughn, James M. Buchanan
, Don Boudreaux, and Richard E. Wagner
.
in Canton, New York
, where he continues to be employed at present. In 1993, he was appointed the inaugural Flora Irene Eggleston Chair in Economics. He was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 1995 and to full professor in 2002. In 1999, he was awarded the annual Frank Piskor Lectureship, and in 2003 he was the recipient of the J. Calvin Keene award, which recognizes high standards of personal scholarship, effective teaching and moral concern. In 2007, Horwitz was elected by the faculty to one of six campus-wide Charles A. Dana Professorships.
At St. Lawrence, Horwitz served as the Associate Dean of the First Year from 2001–2007, overseeing the university’s First Year Program. He has a national reputation as an expert on living-learning programs and on teaching research and communication skills to first-year students. He was also Interim Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning in 2003-04.
Horwitz is a long-time faculty member at the summer seminars of the Institute for Humane Studies
and the Foundation for Economic Education
. In the summer of 2007, he was a visiting scholar at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center at Bowling Green State University
in Bowling Green, Ohio
. Horwitz is also an Affiliated Senior Scholar of the Mercatus Center
at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, where he has conducted nationally-recognized research on the role of Wal-Mart
and the Coast Guard
in the response to Hurricane Katrina
.
Horwitz is the book review editor of the Review of Austrian Economics and the secretary and webmaster for the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics. He has been a member of the Mont Pelerin Society
since 1996, and is a member of two group weblogs: Coordination Problem and Liberty and Power.
Most of Horwitz’s professional work has been in the area of monetary theory
and macroeconomics
from an Austrian school
perspective, with his 2000 book Microfoundations and Macroeconomics: An Austrian Perspective best summarizing that work. He has also contributed to Austrian economics and the history of economic thought as well as the social thought of F. A. Hayek. In recent years, he has been exploring the economics and social theory of the family. His Open Letter to My Friends on the Left in September 2008 was a widely-read libertarian analysis of the mortgage crisis and has been translated into five languages.
Outside of his professional interests, Horwitz is a huge fan of hockey, especially the Detroit Red Wings
, and classic rock, especially the Canadian band Rush
. He combined his hobby and his professional life in a scholarly article on Rush in 2003.
Horwitz currently resides in Canton, New York
with his wife Jody and his two children Andrew and Rachel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist of the Austrian School
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
.
Early life and education
Horwitz was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
to Ronald and Carol Horwitz. He was raised in Oak Park, Michigan
Oak Park, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile...
and graduated from Berkley High School in Berkley, Michigan
Berkley, Michigan
Berkley is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 14,970.-Downtown, Dream Cruise, etc.:...
in 1981. He graduated cum laude with an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Economics and Philosophy from The University of Michigan in 1985, where he was also active with several libertarian student groups and where he wrote and performed with the Sunday Funnies/Comedy Company sketch comedy group.
He received his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1987) and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(1990) in Economics from George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
in Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
. At George Mason, he studied with Don Lavoie
Don Lavoie
Don C. Lavoie was an Austrian school economist. He worked at the Cato Institute. He wrote two books on the problem of economic calculation. His first book on this subject was Rivalry and Central Planning . This book stressed the importance of the process of competitive rivalry in markets...
(who chaired his dissertation committee), George Selgin
George Selgin
George A. Selgin is a professor of economics in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington DC, and an associate editor of Econ Journal Watch...
, Karen Vaughn, James M. Buchanan
James M. Buchanan
James McGill Buchanan, Jr. is an American economist known for his work on public choice theory, for which he received the 1986 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Buchanan's work initiated research on how politicians' self-interest and non-economic forces affect government economic policy...
, Don Boudreaux, and Richard E. Wagner
Richard E. Wagner
Richard E. Wagner is a professor of economics at George Mason University. He works primarily in the fields of public finance and public choice....
.
Professional history
In 1989, Horwitz joined the economics department of St. Lawrence UniversitySt. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University is a four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female....
in Canton, New York
Canton (village), New York
Canton is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The village is centrally located in both the town of Canton and the county of St. Lawrence. The population was 5,882 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Lawrence County...
, where he continues to be employed at present. In 1993, he was appointed the inaugural Flora Irene Eggleston Chair in Economics. He was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 1995 and to full professor in 2002. In 1999, he was awarded the annual Frank Piskor Lectureship, and in 2003 he was the recipient of the J. Calvin Keene award, which recognizes high standards of personal scholarship, effective teaching and moral concern. In 2007, Horwitz was elected by the faculty to one of six campus-wide Charles A. Dana Professorships.
At St. Lawrence, Horwitz served as the Associate Dean of the First Year from 2001–2007, overseeing the university’s First Year Program. He has a national reputation as an expert on living-learning programs and on teaching research and communication skills to first-year students. He was also Interim Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning in 2003-04.
Horwitz is a long-time faculty member at the summer seminars of the Institute for Humane Studies
Institute for Humane Studies
The Institute for Humane Studies is a classical liberal non-profit organization whose stated mission is “to support the achievement of a freer society by discovering and facilitating the development of talented students, scholars, and other intellectuals who share an interest in liberty and in...
and the Foundation for Economic Education
Foundation for Economic Education
The Foundation for Economic Education is one of the oldest free-market organizations established in the United States to study and advance the freedom philosophy. Murray Rothbard recognizes FEE for creating a "crucial open center" that he credits with launching the movement...
. In the summer of 2007, he was a visiting scholar at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
. Horwitz is also an Affiliated Senior Scholar of the Mercatus Center
Mercatus Center
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University in the United States is a non-profit market-oriented research, education, and outreach think tank affiliated with the Koch family. It works with policy experts, lobbyists, and government officials to connect academic learning and real-world practice...
at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, where he has conducted nationally-recognized research on the role of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
and the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
in the response to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Horwitz is the book review editor of the Review of Austrian Economics and the secretary and webmaster for the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics. He has been a member of the Mont Pelerin Society
Mont Pelerin Society
The Mont Pelerin Society is an international organization composed of economists , philosophers, historians, intellectuals, business leaders, and others who favour classical liberalism...
since 1996, and is a member of two group weblogs: Coordination Problem and Liberty and Power.
Most of Horwitz’s professional work has been in the area of monetary theory
Monetary theory
Monetary economics is a branch of economics that historically prefigured and remains integrally linked to macroeconomics. Monetary economics provides a framework for analyzing money in its functions as a medium of exchange, store of value, and unit of account. It considers how money, for example...
and macroeconomics
Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics dealing with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of the whole economy. This includes a national, regional, or global economy...
from an Austrian school
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
perspective, with his 2000 book Microfoundations and Macroeconomics: An Austrian Perspective best summarizing that work. He has also contributed to Austrian economics and the history of economic thought as well as the social thought of F. A. Hayek. In recent years, he has been exploring the economics and social theory of the family. His Open Letter to My Friends on the Left in September 2008 was a widely-read libertarian analysis of the mortgage crisis and has been translated into five languages.
Outside of his professional interests, Horwitz is a huge fan of hockey, especially the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, and classic rock, especially the Canadian band Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
. He combined his hobby and his professional life in a scholarly article on Rush in 2003.
Horwitz currently resides in Canton, New York
Canton, New York
Canton, New York is the name of two places in St. Lawrence County, New York.*Canton , New York*Canton , New York, in the town...
with his wife Jody and his two children Andrew and Rachel.
As author
- Monetary Evolution, Free Banking, and Economic Order, (Westview Press, 1992) ISBN 0-8133-8514-8.
- Of Human Action but not Human Design’: Liberalism in the Tradition of the Scottish Enlightenment, 1999 Annual Frank P. Piskor Lecture, (St. Lawrence University, 2000) ASIN: B0006RFQ0G.
- Microfoundations and Macroeconomics: An Austrian Perspective, (Routledge, 2000) ISBN 0-415-19762-7. Co-winner of the 2001 Smith Prize in Austrian Economics for the best contribution to Austrian economics published in the previous three years.
As author or co-author
- “Beyond Equilibrium Economics: Reflections on the Uniqueness of the Austrian Tradition,” (with Peter J. Boettke and David L. Prychitko), Market Process, 4 (2), Fall 1986, pp. 6–9, 20-25.
- “Competitive Currencies, Legal Restrictions, and the Origins of the Fed: Some Evidence from the Panic of 1907,” Southern Economic Journal, 56 (3), January 1990, pp. 639–49.
- “Monetary Exchange as an Extra-Linguistic Social Communication Process,” Review of Social Economy, 50 (2), Summer 1992, pp. 193–214.
- “Money, Money Prices, and the Socialist Calculation Debate,” Advances in Austrian Economics, 3, 1996, pp. 59–77.
- “Capital Theory, Inflation, and Deflation: The Austrians and Monetary Disequilibrium Theory Compared,” Journal of the History of Economic Thought, 18 (2), Fall 1996, pp. 287–308.
- “Monetary Calculation and Mises’s Critique of Planning,” History of Political Economy, 30 (3), Fall 1998, pp. 427–50.
- “From The Sensory Order to the Liberal Order: Hayek’s Non-rationalist Liberalism,” Review of Austrian Economics, 13 (1), March 2000, pp. 23–40.
- “From Smith to Menger to Hayek: Liberalism in the Spontaneous Order Tradition,” The Independent Review, 6 (1), Summer 2001, pp 81–97.
- “The Costs of Inflation Revisited,” Review of Austrian Economics, 16 (1), March 2003, pp. 77–95.
- “The Functions of the Family in the Great Society,” Cambridge Journal of Economics, 29 (5), September 2005, pp. 669–84.
- “Heterogeneous Human Capital, Uncertainty, and the Structure of Plans: A Market Process Approach to Marriage and Divorce” (with Peter Lewin), Review of Austrian Economics, 21 (1), March 2008, pp. 1–21.
- “Making Hurricane Response More Effective: Lessons from the Private Sector and the Coast Guard During Katrina” Policy Comment #17, Mercatus Center, Washington, DC, March 19, 2008.