JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES

by D. E. Moggridge ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 1, 1976

In the Modern Masters series, a brief but relatively sophisticated introduction to Keynes the economist, with only passing mention of his other interests and activities (notably in support of the arts) and, beyond noting his affiliations, no attempt to take the measure of the man. What Moggridge discusses are, first, Keynes' habits of thought, then the development of his thinking; but the meticulous, well-documented account of Keynes' dependence upon and deviation from his orthodox predecessors is vitiated for non-specialist readers by the book's failure to identify the classical concepts of a free economy and, most seriously, to clearly articulate--until the summation--Keynes' countervailing position: the necessity for active government economic management. Indeed, the question of a Keynesian revolution is tucked away inconclusively in the bibliography--where Moggridge disparages those who equate Keynes with public-works programs. On Keynesian economics today he is silent or noncommital, noting neither successful challenges to Keynesian theory (such as Milton Friedman's to the theory of the consumption function) nor the failure of Keynesian policies to deal with the recent economic ""stagflation."" For the interested novice, the annotated bibliography could prove more helpful altogether than the text.

Pub Date: Dec. 1, 1976

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Penguin/Viking

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1976

Categories: NONFICTION