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Economists - Biography, Keynesian Economics, Economists
John Maynard Keynes by Cynthia D. Crain — book cover

John Maynard Keynes

by Cynthia D. Crain, Dwight R. Lee
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Overview

In the 1930s, as Europe and the United States struggled to I overcome the worse depression in history, British economist John Maynard Keynes counseled governments to do something never attempted before-spend huge amounts of money to stimulate the economy and get people working again, even though it meant running large budget deficits. Tireless and outspoken, he developed and promoted a new approach on stabilizing capitalist economic systems. That approach became known as Keynesian economics.

Professor, philosopher, British lord, patron of the arts and husband of a famous ballerina, Keynes was all of these things, and more. His radical idea for governments to spend more than they have, made him one of the greatest economists of the twentieth century. His controversial approach has its ardent supporters and critics. It is taught at universities and continues to influence economic policy throughout the world.

Synopsis

In the 1930s, as Europe and the United States struggled to I overcome the worse depression in history, British economist John Maynard Keynes counseled governments to do something never attempted before-spend huge amounts of money to stimulate the economy and get people working again, even though it meant running large budget deficits. Tireless and outspoken, he developed and promoted a new approach on stabilizing capitalist economic systems. That approach became known as Keynesian economics.

Professor, philosopher, British lord, patron of the arts and husband of a famous ballerina, Keynes was all of these things, and more. His radical idea for governments to spend more than they have, made him one of the greatest economists of the twentieth century. His controversial approach has its ardent supporters and critics. It is taught at universities and continues to influence economic policy throughout the world.

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up–These books provide in-depth personal histories coupled with detailed analyses of the subjects' theories. Relationships, education, early influences, and family life are all described, creating fairly complete pictures of the individuals. Economic theory is closely tied to cultural and political events, and the authors make every effort to highlight how these differing influences impacted both the theorist and the idea. While the other books are generally positive, Marx is negative, both about the man's theories on socialism and regarding his personal life. While the writing is straightforward, the authors assume a certain level of knowledge about world events. Worthwhile purchases.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Norah Piehl

British economist Keynes's life is traced in this dense biography. The text offers up a straightforward chronology, offering plenty of details of the economist's life, from his childhood in Cambridge, England, through his own education at Cambridge University and the publication of his famous theory. The text assumes a certain level of comfort with and understanding of economic principles and viewpoints, including the gold standard and fiscal policy. Historical, economic, and political contexts—including most notably the Great Depression and two world wars—are also integrated into the economist's life story. Instead of being absorbed into the dense paragraphs and long chapters as it is here, this contextual information would be better broken out into sidebars and developed more fully. Doing so might help break up the book's dry design and also provide much-needed context and potentially added interest for readers. Readers might be most interested in a concluding section on Keynes's legacy as it relates to the Obama stimulus plan. Scattered illustrations include archival photos and documents from throughout Keynes's life. The book also includes a time line and a list of other titles for recommended reading. Reviewer: Norah Piehl

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up–These books provide in-depth personal histories coupled with detailed analyses of the subjects' theories. Relationships, education, early influences, and family life are all described, creating fairly complete pictures of the individuals. Economic theory is closely tied to cultural and political events, and the authors make every effort to highlight how these differing influences impacted both the theorist and the idea. While the other books are generally positive, Marx is negative, both about the man's theories on socialism and regarding his personal life. While the writing is straightforward, the authors assume a certain level of knowledge about world events. Worthwhile purchases.

Book Details

Published
March 1, 2009
Publisher
Morgan Reynolds Incorporated
Pages
144
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781599351094

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