Commons and Sociology : the Critical Influence of Social Gospel (1882-1904)

John R. Commons is well-known as an outstanding academic figure of the "Old institutionalism", whose legacy to contemporary institutional economics has been well established. Less studied is the status Commons gave to sociology on his theoretical framework. This paper aims at filling this gap, focusing particularly in Commons' academic early years (1882-1904). Indeed, this period covers first the years when he met leading figures in sociology (Edward Ross, Albion Small, Lester Ward) or sympathetic to sociology (Richard Ely), when he was at Johns Hopkins in particular. Second, this timespan corresponds to Commons' firm anchorage to Social Gospel related to "Christian Sociology", which had a major influence on his sociological framework. On the whole, Commons tried to frame and to ‘apply' his framework through social activism during his "Five Big Years" (1899-1904) as he called them. All in all, Commons' relation to sociology during these years exemplifies the academic context of the social sciences in late 19th century, i.e. both the beginning of their institutionalization characterized by the "disciplinary blend" in social sciences, and their non fully secularized feature.