Jan Tinbergen (1903–1994) and the Rise of Economic Expertise

This biography presents the interaction between his socialist ideals, scientific aspirations and work as an economic expert.

Erwin Dekker (Author)

9781108495998, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 1 July 2021

484 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 3 cm, 0.85 kg

'Dekker's biography opens up many new perspectives worth investigating. It is now up to historians of macro-econometrics/macroeconomics, but also to historians of science, to seize this abundant material to understand the complexity of the ambitions and achievements of the pioneers of econometrics.' Ariane Dupont-Kieffer, The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought

Jan Tinbergen was the first Nobel Prize winner in Economics and one of the most influential economists of the 20th century. This book argues that his crucial contribution is the theory of economic policy and the legitimation of economic expertise in service of the state. It traces his youthful socialist ideals which found political direction in the Plan-socialist movement of the 1930s for which he developed new economic models to combat the Great Depression. After World War II he was able to synthesize that work into a theory of economic policy which not only provided a lasting framework for economic policy around the world, but also secured a permanent place for economic experts close to government. The book then turns to an examination of his attempt to repeat this achievement in the development projects in the Global South and at the international level for the United Nations.

Jan Tinbergen (1903-1994) and the rise of economic expertise
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I. Becoming an Economic Expert: 1. The construction of peace
2. A progressive education
3. The bourgeois socialist
4. From Ehrenfest to the econometric society
5. Hendrick de Man and Jan Tinbergen
6. Macro-dynamics and the problem of unemployment
7. The rise of the Volkspartei (People's Party) and the economics of the general interest
Part II. The Years of High Expertise: 8. From The Hague to Geneva: the world order of the League of Nations
9. Fascism at home
10. Tinbergen's theory of economic policymaking
11. The expert in the model, the economist outside the model
Part III. Global Expertise: 12. Opening up Vista's: India and the world
13. Development economics on paper
14. Development planning on the ground: Tinbergen in Turkey
15. Sometime the twain shall meet: the optimal order
16. Expertise far from home
Part IV. The Limits of Expertise: 17. Measuring the unmeasurable: welfare and justice
18. Governing the ungovernable: can we govern the planet
19. Making peace, finding peace.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], Economics, finance, business & management [K], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW]