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From:          Goncalo Fonseca <[log in to unmask]>  
What is the definition of "repression"? 
 
I presume the Richard T. Ely trial at Wisconsin at the turn of the century 
could be considered a prime example of what is sought.   
 
Also, Karl Knies was exiled in 1848 - although that was more in connection 
with his political activities then to his economics as such.   The 
experience of many Utopian Socialists and regular Marxian economists can 
also be considered in this light. 
 
With patrons, the issue is more difficult as the idea of academic freedom 
only took root after the Ely trial.  Before that, firing economists for 
their views was quite common - consider only Auguste Walras (father of 
Leon) or the general case of German economists when Schmoller's "Verein" 
ruled academic appointments from Berlin.   
 
Of course, Knut Wicksell's experiences with the Swedish government 
and university system provide several cases of "repression" - but 
Wicksell was deliberately provocative. 
 
If one is to go into Marxian thought, then we get quite a crop of people 
who came under the Nazi axe - such as Rudolf Hilferding (arrested 1940, 
died in custody), Emil Lederer, Adolph Lowe, Eduard Heimann, Frieda 
Wunderlich, Karl Brandt and many others (all exiled). 
 
Economics in Soviet Russia was also a prime example particularly since the 
ruling ideology was an economic one.  Marginalist Neoclassicism was a 
effectively forbidden in the Soviet Union (Kantorovich notwithstanding) 
and many Russian economic writers and their works were suppressed.  If I 
am not mistaken, Kondratieff died in one of Stalin's prisons. 
 
As far as other countries are concerned, I am less sure (outside Ely) of 
obvious cases of government or patron repression. Also, I am personally  
aware of contemporary cases of repression of economists in many countries 
(e.g. Sudan), but most of these have not been given any publicity. 
 
Finally, we do have numerous cases when the works of economists or 
economists themselves are repressed by their patrons: usually, this is 
called the "dissertation" and the patron is their "advisor" (;-)) 
 
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