Karl Heinrich Rau

Karl Heinrich Rau ( born November 23, 1792 in Erlangen, † March 18, 1870 in Heidelberg ) was a German economist, Masonic and agricultural scientists.

Life

Rau studied political science at the University of Erlangen, received his doctorate in 1812 and worked after his habilitation as Privatdozent, high school teacher, and at times as a librarian. From 1822 until his death he was a Full Professor of Economics at the University of Heidelberg. He was the author of a multivolume, repeatedly issued textbook on political economy. In addition to his political science lectures, he also lectured on agricultural teaching and published several agricultural journals. In the years 1831 and 1832 as well as 1847 and 1848 he served as Vice-Rector of the University of Heidelberg.

Rau personally trained most of the Baden civil servants in the state economic disciplines and thus designed for decades the liberal economic principles of this country. Rau was also the tutor of the later Grand Duke Friedrich von Baden.

Among the important for agriculture publications heard his influential monograph on the " Agriculture in the Rhine Palatinate " ( 1830), which he later " meeting German land and forest keepers " in 1860 presented in edited form as a Festschrift of 21 in Heidelberg. In a much-publicized "History of the plow " (1845 ) he believed he could prove that the plow was developed from a simple knee timber, the hook, to an ever more perfect equipment. 1851 traveled Rau in state contract for the World Exhibition in London and published on the agricultural equipment on display there a detailed report.

Rau was a member of several scientific academies, several honorary doctorates, honorary citizen of the city of Heidelberg and held the title of Privy Councillor since 1832. He was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Baden Zähringerplatz lion with the North Star, the Prussian Red Eagle and the Russian Order of St. Anne. He was from 1833 to 1840 a ​​liberal member of the first chamber of the Baden Parliament and represented in the University of Heidelberg. In 1841 he declined a re- nomination. In 1848 he was a member of the Frankfurt Pre-Parliament.

Rau was with his in-laws, the naturalist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius member of the Masonic Lodge Erlanger " Lebanon to the three cedars ." He exchanged numerous letters with his bride and future wife Amalie Fischer in which he einbezog in all his thoughts on politics, economics, etc. Freemasonry. In this way he sought during his absence in parliamentary Karlsruhe intellectual exchanges with her, as well as on his research trips to England, Switzerland and by the states of the German Confederation.

Rau was a political ally of the liberal Baden State Minister Karl Friedrich Nebenius, with whom he worked closely politically and Masonic. His son and Masonic brother Ludwig was married to Nebenius daughter Albertine. In addition, he was commissioned in 1833 by the First Chamber of the States General with Badische draw up a report to the then contemplated establishing the Grand Ducal Baden State Railways.

Rau is considered the main organizer of the construction of the Astor House by Johann Jakob Astor Foundation in Walldorf / Baden, whose chairman he was elected on 14 July 1850. He was connected until his death with this foundation. Rau was recommended by the initiator of the 'Rough House " Johann Heinrich Wichern for this project. In December 1999, the Board of Trustees of the Rau Astor Foundation dedicated a conference room in the newly constructed wing of the building and brought a plaque for him at the entrance of the room.

Rau was a liberal Democrat, the revolutionary surveys to overthrow German princes not supported, however. His son Adolph attended the Baden riots in 1849 in part on the side of the rebels and had to flee to the United States after the victory of the intervening Prussian troops. Rau self-written - for themselves - the memoir The Forty Days in Heidelberg - Memories of the Baden uprising in the summer of 1849, in which he illuminated the behavior of the revolutionary movement in Heidelberg, Baden critical. The memorandum itself was not published until 150 years after their copy in an annotated version.

Votes to Karl Heinrich Rau

"This mediating position, the careful and ideology-free weighing of factual arguments, the consideration of social, legal and political aspects of the closer, economic problems also, finally, the phrase against all ill-considered experiments - all this made ​​him a moderate to reasonable compensation Reluctant interests bemühter representatives of the doctrine of Adam Smith. Especially in a free society that saw Rau clearly than the extreme free traders and economic liberals, the difficult task of finding a reasonable balance between particular interests and welfare presented. "

In the "General German Biography " (1888 ) Rau is referred to as " one of the most eminent German economists ".

Joseph Alois Schumpeter attested Rau in his " History of Economic Analysis" (Göttingen 1965): " As a teacher he deserves a place of honor in the history of economics. "

In its obituary of 30 April 1870, the " Illustrirte newspaper" Rau recognizes as " Nestor the University of Heidelberg and all German economists. "

Wolfgang Borgstede has been in his " Economics" ( Dusseldorf 1977) suggest that Rau " the impetus for the reception of the Smith Ricardinischen system in Germany " was. In his textbook on political economy ", he brought a very original and didactic brilliant display methods. He has worked decades before Alfred Marshall with the usual up today geometric representation of the form of supply and demand curves. However, they found little favor in Germany. He therefore does not apply in general as its inventor. Such a thing is common. Not the one who developed an idea first, usually regarded as the discoverer, but the one that permeated with the idea. "

Library

His private working library with more than 4000 books and 2000 pamphlets in several languages ​​was purchased after his death by the American Banker Philo Parsons ( 1817-1892 ), and founded in 1871, the University Library of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The initially named after the patron Parsons Library with the collection focus of political economy has been subsequently be added. Today it forms under the name " Parsons Rau Collection on 19th -century economics" a part of the Special Collections Library.

Writings (selection )

• Textbook of Political Economy, 3 volumes, Heidelberg 1826-1837 Vol 1: Principles of economy theory, 1826 - 8th ed 1869 ( digitized 7th edition 1863 in the Google Book Search )
• Vol 2: Principles of economy Care, later principles of economy policy, 1828 - 5th edition 1862 ( digitized 5th edition 1862 in the Google Book Search )
• Vol 3: Principles of Public Finance, 1837 - 6th ed 1871