Leontief and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1941-54: A Unfinished Chapter in the History of Economic Measurement

摘要

While Leontiefs accomplishments have been recognized, his work with the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupies an uncertain position in historical accounts. Some observers have argued that the Bureau of Labor Statistics merely tabulated data in accordance with his theories. This paper evaluates such claims by examining the concepts and classifications used by Leontief and the Bureau in the early tables. It concludes that the changes made by the Bureau made possible significant measurements of the GNP and of the factor-content of international trade. Today statistical agencies continue to develop measures of prices and quantities, using the framework pioneered by Leontief.