Papers of Maurice Herbert Dobb (1900-1976), economist

Maurice Dobb was born in London and admitted to Pembroke College in 1919 as an exhibitioner to study history. However after his first year in Cambridge he changed the subject of his studies to economics and gained firsts in both parts of the tripos in 1921 and 1922. After two years at the London School of Economics in a research post and producing his PhD he returned to Cambridge to take up a post as University lecturer in 1924, also teaching at his old college.

The controversy surrounding his divorce from his first wife Phyllis, whom he had married in 1923, and his devotion to Marxian economics contributed to his losing his dining rights and his students. However, Dobb soon found a position at Trinity College, keeping his connection with the college for 50 years, although he was not to be offered a fellowship until 1948. He did not receive a University readership until 1959

As the items listed below attest, Dobb published widely. Interest in his work from eastern Europe, Italy and Japan meant that his works were often translated into a number of languages. Political Economy and Capitalism (1937) and Studies in the Development of Capitalism (1946) are, perhaps, his best known works. After their completion, he collaborated for many years with Piero Sraffa on the latter's comprehensive edition of the works of David Ricardo. Texts of publications and lectures form the bulk of the collection in manuscript, typescript and various stages of the printed form.

Dobb died in 1976.

Personal and family papers 1900-81; correspondence 1919-1976; manuscripts of publications [1920]-78; lectures c1919-76; collected publications of others c1930-1976; material relating to the Communist Party of Great Britain 1922-76. Dobb's diaries are still in the hands of Brian Pollitt.

Literary executor: Brian Pollitt

Dobb appointed Brian Pollitt as his literary executor who, in turn, passed them to Trinity College Library.

Please cite as Trinity College Cambridge: DOBB