Frank William Taussig

Frank William Taussig (December 28, 1859 – November 11, 1940) was a U.S. economist and educator. Taussig is credited with creating the foundations of modern trade theory.

Biography

He was born on December 28, 1859 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of William and Adele Wuerpel. His parents encouraged his literary and musical interests, and he played the violin at an early age. He was educated in the St. Louis public schools and at Smith Academy in that city. He then went to Washington University there, but after a year transferred to Harvard from where he graduated in 1879. He then traveled in Europe for a year, taking some time to study economics at the University of Berlin. He then did graduate work at Harvard in law and economics, and during this time was secretary to President Charles W. Eliot for some years. He got a law degree in 1886 and was appointed assistant professor at Harvard. He became professor of economics in 1892, and remained at Harvard for the balance of his professional career, except for several years spent in federal service, and some time spent traveling in Europe recovering from a nervous disorder.