Chapter 11: The Professor Goes to Washington

The chapter describes how Fabian socialists advanced their influence by redefining economics and related fields as “science.” Sydney Webb succeeds in having economics formally declared a science by the University of London. Beatrice Webb records approvingly that this involved divorcing economics from metaphysics and admits the decision was achieved by packing the commission.

Once economics and other social inquiries were labeled “social sciences,” professors could present ideological conclusions as objective research. Fabian writers argue this allowed political intent to be concealed behind academic authority.

The chapter traces the spread of Fabian ideas through British and American universities, extension programs, and summer schools. In the United States, professors studied sociali ...