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Some perspective on predecessors to the micro-macro distinction 
can be gleaned by looking at earlier editions of Samuelson's 
Economics textbook. My quick browse of these editions indicates 
that the earliest edition of Samuelson in which the micro-macro 
distinction turns up is the 4th edition, published in 1958. Even 
in this edition, Macro and Micro are not used as headings for separate 
parts of the book. Instead, the beginning of part III on the Composition 
of National Income begins with the query "Macroeconomics versus 
macroeconomics?"  In these earlier editions, what would more recently 
be termed macroeconomics is called "Determinants of National Income 
and its Fluctuations."  The microeconomic sections are headed 
"Composition of National Income" and "Distribution of National Income." 
OF course Samuelson's book is known for being one of the first, though 
not the first, introductory textbooks to incorporate Keynesian ideas. 
More on this can be found in Kenneth Elzinga's article on the various 
editions of Samuelson in the Southern Economic Journal, 1992 based 
on his Presidential address to the SEA. 
 
When I was a student at U.of Chicago in the 1970's the distinction made 
was between Price Theory and Money/Theory of National Income and the 
Price Level.  I also seem to recall Milton Friedman saying there 
was no useful distinction between macro and micro but mentioning 
there was a distinction between partial and general equilibrium theory. 
 
Among other earlier textbooks, one could look at Marshall's Principles 
of Economics, which in the first few editions was labelled vol.I implying 
that a vol.II was to be forthcoming. The material in Vol.I would roughly 
correspond to the value and distribution part -- i.e. loosely micro. 
One can find in the literature on Marshall a discussion of what would 
have gone into Vol.II and did go into some of his subsequent publications. 
But I will leave it to those more knowledgeable on Marshall than I to 
fill this in. 
 
David Mitch 
University of Maryland Baltimore County 
 
 
 
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