Selling Power

Presents a history of the electric-power industry, concentrating on the structure of its economic institutions and the ways in which economics and public policy have been affected by that structure. -- Journal of Economic Literature Neufeld has written extensively and incisively on the history of the US electric utility industry, making him well positioned to undertake a comprehensive examination of the history of this unique industry. Blending solid economic theory with the historian's attention to detail, this book likely will be his magnum opus. --William J. Hausman, College of William and Mary Neufeld's account of the development of electricity markets in the United States clearly outlines the problems stemming from the industry's character as a natural monopoly. Chronicling the responses of public officials over time, he explains why each response occurred within the context of political struggle and carefully explains how some policy responses, while solving a current problem, created future problems as the industry evolved and technology changed. Neufeld is a leading authority on the economics of the early electric industry, and this book will be of interest to economic historians, energy economists, scholars of both historic and modern industrial organization, historians of the progressive era, and political scientists interested in better understanding the rise of government in industries. --Carl Kitchens, Florida State University Selling Power is a thoughtful and well-written history . . . . Its detailed and rigorous treatment of primary sources will make it a valuable resource for scholars who want to incorporate electricity into their work on this period, for economic historians who want to grapple with some of these same questions applying different theoretical frameworks, and for scholars and policy makers analyzing the twenty-first-century challenges of the technological dynamism and political economy who want to understand the historical foundations of this industry. -- EH.Net [T]his work is a valuable window into the way that electricity has shaped American political and economic institutions and an interesting case study of the modernizing American economy of the pre-World War II era....Selling Power is an interesting and valuable addition to the history of electricity, industrial growth and development, the intersection of private and public policy during the Progressive and New Deal eras, and the modernization of the U.S. in the early twentieth century. -- American Historical Review ...Neufeld's command of economics and his deep reading of the primary sources produce a work notable for its willingness to render judgements...Selling Power is a welcome addition to the growing scholarship on the history of electrification. --Robert Lifset Technology and Culture