April 30, 2006

John Kenneth Galbraith, one of the most interesting economists of the second half of the 20th century, has died aged 97. Galbraith was a very good writer and a provocative social commentator.

He is considered by some to be the last american institutionalist. Others would consider him a Keynesian. I'd consider him sufficiently original and eclectic to warrant his own category. Galbraith was a member of a group that seems (to me) to have shrunk significantly in the past 20 years: academics who make a significant contribution to public life.

posted by roryk 18 years ago
  • Galbraith will continue to contribute to the field of agricultural economics as mulch.
  • Insensitive!! /spittle :D Seriously, 97 is a good innings. Surprised he didn't round it out to an even number.
  • . My favourite book of his is The Great Crash, a history of the boom and bust of the 20's. It is written clearly and with wit and insight. "Historians and novelists always have known that tragedy wonderfully reveals the nature of man. But, while they have made rich use of war, revolution and poverty, they have been singularly neglectful of finanical panics. And one can relish the varied idiocy of human action during a panic to the full, for, while it is a time of great tragedy, nothing is being lost but money."
  • Johnny Galbraith was also yer Canadian.
  • As I was saying to someone last night, "This makes the MST3K jokes about him slightly more humorous in my mind."
  • .