K. William Kapp 

Königsberg

1910—1932  

Frankfurt & Geneva

1933—1937  
 

New York & Rockfall 

1937—1965
 

Poona & Jaipur

1958/59 and 1961/62 

Basel

1965—1976  


For further information please visit:

︎︎︎ Kapp Research Center
︎︎︎ Kapp Wikipedia
︎︎︎ Kapp Archive Basel

Kapp’s Biography: A Reconstruction based on Archival Documents

Today Kapp’s work continues to have a significant resonance in institutional-evolutionary and social-ecological economics, reflected in the Kapp Prizes of the European Association for Evolutionary and Political Economy and the Verein für Ökologische Ökonomie in Germany. Several research organizations were inspired by Kapp’s economics, such as, for example, the International Research Centre for Environment and Development in Paris and the Socialist Environmental and Research Association in the UK.

The following editorial provides a succinct and memorable summary of Kapp’s story. It was published in the volume of memorial lectures given in honor of K. William Kapp on 19.11.1976 at the University of Basel. 

“Consequences of an Insight: Roughly thirty years ago a young academic couple travelled across the United States. Both noticed that the environment had been distroyed in several places. This experience caused them to ask: “Who is responsible for these damages? Why are those who caused this not bearing the consequences?” This is how the discussion about ‘social costs’ emerged, which is currently in full swing. The young couples’ names were K. William and Lore Kapp. They had emigrated from Europe and were in the process of beginning a career as scientists. They were well aware that this transition from experience to scientific insight was not free of values or preconceptions. Yet, environmental distruction tremendously captivated their thinking. 

Fully realizing that this academic consistently pursued his path helps to sooth the pain about the unexpected death of K. William Kapp. Grief is consoled by the conviction that his work will have consequences because his personal efforts are an example for others. K. William Kapp had success. Taking on the chair from Edgar Salin at the University of Basel in and of itself evidences great competences. Nevertheless, K. William Kapp did not parade these. Thoughtfully smoking a pipe he listened to arguments. He was able to listen which gave his interlocutors a fair chance. From time to time a smile, a targeted question, and when his poodle made himself known too much he also received attention. During conversations K. William Kapp often looked at his wife Lore. Her voice determined the tone of the conversation. Her remarks contributed to the clarification of the topic. Anybody who was willing to discuss with the Kapps the social consequences of economic behavior was heartily welcomed. Those who listened carefully could not miss the English accent. This was the voice of an emigrant. 

That he had been born in Königsberg was hard to guess. K. William Kapp knew the world. The storms of history did not spare him. But he walked trough them with a straight posture. He was a hard worker. If one had to discuss a translation with him, one had to be willing to give more time than planned. He would only be satisfied when the last comma in the last comment was correct. And that only until the start of the next work. K. William Kapp wrote about the environment when academics still taught that air, soil, and water are ‘free goods’ and declared this as ‘scientific’ fact. Recent developments have proven him right, unfortunately. Because much too much did K. William Kapp suffer on the inside watching what people can do to themselves and their environment.“ 

^{(source: Rudolf Brun (ed.) Sozialwissenschaften – wozu?, Magazin Brennpunkte 8, Fischer Verlag: Frankfurt am Main, 1977; translation by Sebastian Berger)}