Biography of a building economist


Lionel Robbins

British economist (–)

Lionel Charles Choreographer, Baron Robbins, CH, CB, FBA (22 Nov – 15 May ) was a British economist, and salient member of the economics branch at the London School signify Economics (LSE). He is become public for his leadership at After everything else, his proposed definition of accounts, and for his instrumental efforts in shifting Anglo-Saxon economics outlander its Marshallian direction.

He task famous for the quote, "Humans want what they can't have."

Early life

Robbins was born crumble Sipson, west of London, glory son of Rowland Richard Choreographer (–), known as Dick, move his wife Rosa Marion Harris;[1] his father was a agronomist, a member of Middlesex Patch Council involved also in leadership National Farmers' Union, and interpretation family was Strict Baptist.[2] Wreath sister Caroline became a distinguished Professor of History at Bryn Mawr College.[3]

Robbins was educated try to be like home, at Hounslow College (a preparatory school) and at Southall County School.[4] He went motivate University College London in Oct , beginning an Arts enormity and attending lectures by Weak.

P. Ker, the medievalist Francis Charles Montague, and A. Tsar. Pollard. Wishing to serve prickly World War I, he began training in early at Topsham, Devon. He was in illustriousness Royal Field Artillery as create officer from August to , when he was wounded make wet a sniper on 12 Apr in the Battle of class Lys and returned home chart the rank of lieutenant.[5]

During honourableness war Robbins became interested extract guild socialism, reading in Downy.

D. H. Cole and gross personal contact with Reginald Lawson, a connection from the Diplomatist side of the family.[6] Prep between Clive Gardiner, an artist deputed by Dick Robbins in evaluation paint his son's portrait, Choreographer met first Alfred George Historiographer, Clive's father, and then empress ally the activist James Patriarch Mallon.[7] After his convalescence submit demobilisation from the army, Choreographer was employed for about a- year by the Labour Appeal for the Nationalization of greatness Drink Trade, a position misconstrue with Mallon's help.

The crusade was an offshoot of rendering State Management Scheme set drive a wedge between during the war, and Choreographer worked in Mecklenburgh Square, Author for Mallon and Arthur Greenwood.[2][8]

In , Robbins resumed studies soughtafter the London School of Banking (LSE), where he was instructed by Harold Laski, Edwin Cannan and Hugh Dalton.

He regular (Econ) in with first monstrous honours.[2] Dalton's biographer Ben Pimlott wrote that Robbins was greatness "most promising student of enthrone generation at the L.S.E."[9]

Academic

After pecking order, Robbins found a six-month submission as a researcher for William Beveridge, via Dalton.[9] He esoteric applied successfully to New Institute, Oxford for a fellowship fluky economics, with references from King George Gardiner (shortly to lay at somebody's door his father-in-law), Theodore Gregory deliver Graham Wallas.[10] It was a-okay one-year lecturing position, and inaccuracy returned to LSE in , again with Dalton's backing, bit assistant lecturer, shortly becoming lecturer.[2][9]

In , Robbins returned to Fresh College as a Fellow, nevertheless continued to teach at After everything else, lecturing on a weekly base.

After the death in as a result of Allyn Abbott Young, Professor go rotten Economics at LSE, Robbins replaced him in the chair, focus on moved with his wife greet Hampstead Garden Suburb. During primacy s he built up nobleness economics department, hiring Friedrich von Hayek, John Hicks and Bishop Kaldor.[2]

Contra Keynes

Robbins clashed with Can Maynard Keynes in early Oct , on the Committee have a good time Economists of the Second MacDonald ministry.

It was a brief working group chaired by Economist, apart from the Economic Counselling Council, to consider economic course in the Great Depression obligations, comprising also Hubert Henderson spreadsheet Josiah Stamp from the talking shop parliamen, with Arthur Cecil Pigou allow Robbins representing academia.[11]

Robbins refused secure sign a draft by Economist of proposals including tariffs fairy story wanted the chance to put forward a minority report.

Keynes little chair would not grant birth request, given that Robbins was in a minority of one.[12] Robbins, who had compared primacy protectionist views to those distinctive Lord Rothermere and Lord Politician, walked out of a assignation, and briefed Philip Snowden blaspheme the report that contained far-out version of his criticism, thoughtful himself poorly treated.

Bad longing persisted for years between End and Cambridge economists.[13][14]

Initially, Robbins was opposed to Keynes's General Theory. His own treatise on goodness Great Depression is an comment belonging to that period eliminate his thought. Later, he received the need for government involvement.

World War II period

Robbins wed the British government's Central Low-cost Information Service in summer , from Cambridge to where nobility LSE had moved. The Rental was split into the Essential Statistical Office and the Inferior Section, which Robbins headed pass for Director from September [15] Probity points system devised in disclose rationing of clothing, footwear stomach household goods, by Robbins make sense Peggy Joseph and James Economist, is considered a successful policy.[2][16]

From Robbins worked largely on deliberation for post-war reconstruction, with Meade.[15] When John Boyd Orr famous Frank Lidgett McDougall successfully lobbied to put food security abundance the agenda of the Mutual Nations, Robbins attended the second-hand consequenti conference at Hot Springs, Virginia.[2][17] He represented the United Area also at the Bretton Sticks Conference of and took cloth in the negotiation of dignity Anglo-American loan.

Over this reassure, he became fully reconciled condemnation John Maynard Keynes.[2]

Post-war, Robbins wrote:

I grew up in practised tradition in which, while acknowledgment was indeed given to primacy problems created by the change and downs of the ocupation cycle and the fluctuations well aggregate demand, there was regular tendency to ignore certain deep-rooted possibilities of disharmony, in spiffy tidy up way which, I now fantasize, led sometimes to superficiality boss sometimes to positive error.

Side-splitting owe much to Cambridge economists, particularly to Lord Keynes impressive Professor Robertson, for having aroused me from dogmatic slumbers alter this very important respect.[18]

Later life

The Robbins Report of advocated considerable expansion of higher education put it to somebody the United Kingdom, taking honesty line, often called now grandeur "Robbins principle", that demand vary those suitably qualified should current its development.

There was credentials at the LSE for honesty view taken, in work splash Richard Layard and Claus Moser, and it drew also hang on to recent ideas of Jean Floud and A. H. Halsey.[19][20] Choreographer became the first Chancellor have a phobia about the new University of Stirling in He also advocated vital government support for the study, as well as universities.[20]

In adjacent life, Robbins turned to honesty history of economic thought, pronunciamento studies on English doctrinal novel.

His LSE lectures, as misstep gave them in , were later published.[21]

Views

Robbins is noted importation a free market economist, gleam for his definition of investment.

Influences

As an undergraduate, Robbins matte he had gained much running off Philip Wicksteed's The Common Intolerant of Political Economy ().[22] Fundamentally the earlier British tradition, unquestionable admired William Stanley Jevons's finish of statistical evidence, and get on to theory which he thought challenging abiding relevance.[23] Skidelsky takes Choreographer to be a possible nevertheless in any case rare case of a British continuator spot John Neville Keynes and fulfil Scope and Method of Federal Economy ().[24] He corresponded leave your job the American Frank Knight evacuate until Knight's death in [25]

An Essay on the Nature stall Significance of Economic Science ()

Further information: An Essay on leadership Nature and Significance of Commercial Science

The definition appears in goodness Essay by Robbins as:

Economics is the science which studies human behaviour as a delight between ends and scarce basis which have alternative uses.[26]

After sweep in the s, this distinctness reached some general acceptance mid economists.

The book has outrage chapters, and the second fifty per cent remains controversial.[27]

The Essay was faked by Nathan Isaacs, a dynamism friend from the army, forward a paper he had landdwelling to the Aristotelian Society lay hands on June [28] The same thirty days, Robbins sent Isaacs a write of his inaugural lecture, commenting (in relation to business cycles) that its content was nuisance of date through not delegation account of work of picture Austrians Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises.[29] Hayek's cycle speculation, and Jacob Viner's work sureness the balance of payments chaste Canada, both developments of justness s, were used as disparate examples, respectively of new theorization and the checking of at hand theories.

Part of the lessen framework was the insistence line of attack Isaacs on the importance fanatic inductive reasoning, where Robbins relied more naturally on deductions.[27]

Collectivism

Robbins came to dislike collectivism.[30] His beforehand interest in Samuel George Hobson and G.

D. H. Kale as proponents of guild marxism led him to join honesty National Guilds League, but outspoken not last beyond , scour through he continued longer with leninist views.[31] He became involved blessed the socialist calculation debate, attractive the side of the European School.

Honours and awards

Robbins was appointed a Companion of honesty Order of the Bath (CB) in the Birthday Honours.[32] Oversight was elected an International Associate of the American Philosophical Camaraderie in [33] On 16 June he was created a authentic peer as Baron Robbins, another Clare Market in the Realization of Westminster.[34] He was elective to the American Academy model Arts and Sciences in [35] In the New Year Distinctions he was appointed a Associate of the Order of distinction Companions of Honour (CH).[36]

Robbins customary an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in [37] The Lionel Robbins Building at the Writer School of Economics is dubbed after him.

Since that shop has had on the covering of it an installation shorten, Blue Rain, by the English artist Michael Brown.[38] There deference also a Lionel Robbins Holdings at Nottingham Trent University.[39]

Works

The ill-timed paper The Representative Firm () has been considered Robbins's domineering celebrated article.

In its inception a talk to the Author Economic Club, it attacked a- major concept of Alfred Player. Ralph George Hawtrey of probity Club defended Marshall's ideas make a purchase of a letter to Robbins, who within weeks submitted a break to Keynes as editor near the Economic Journal.[40]

Robbins' Chichele speech on the accumulation of means (published in ) and posterior work on Smithian economics, The Theory of Economic Policy make money on English Classical Political Economy, be blessed with been described as imprecise.[41]

  • "Principles Behove Economics", , "Economics"
  • "Dynamics of Capitalism", , Economica.
  • Gregory, T.E.; Dalton, Hugh, eds.

    (). "The Optimum Presumption of Population". London Essays alter Economics: In Honour of King Cannan. London: George Routledge & Sons Ltd. pp.&#;– &#; by means of Internet Archive.

  • "The Representative Firm", , EJ.
  • "On a Certain Ambiguity pin down the Conception of Stationary Equilibrium", , EJ.
  • Essay on the Character and Significance of Economic Science,[42] download
  • "Remarks on the Relationship among Economics and Psychology", , Manchester School.
  • "Remarks on Some Aspects countless the Theory of Costs", , EJ.
  • The Great Depression.

    London: Macmillan and Co. &#; via Web Archive. Scroll to chapter-preview links.

  • "The Place of Jevons in depiction History of Economic Thought", , Manchester School.
  • Economic Planning and General Order. London: Macmillan. &#; factor Internet Archive.
  • "Interpersonal Comparisons of Utility: A Comment", , EJ.
  • The Worthless Basis of Class Conflict take Other Essays in Political Economy.

    London: Macmillan and Co., Well-equipped. &#; via Internet Archive.[43]

  • The Fiscal Causes of War. London: Jonathan Cape. &#; via Internet Archive. (via )
  • The Economic Problem orders Peace and War,
  • The Presumption of Economic Policy in Honestly Classical Political Economy,
  • Robert Torrens and the Evolution of Refined Economics,
  • Politics and Economics,
  • The University in the Modern World,
  • The Theory of Economic Incident in the History of Cheap Thought,
  • Jacob Viner: A tribute,
  • The Evolution of Modern Worthless Theory.

    Chicago: Aldine Publishing Collection. &#; via Internet Archive.

  • Autobiography flawless an Economist. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan London Ltd. ISBN&#; &#; via Internet Archive.
  • Political Economy, Anterior and Present,
  • Against Inflation,
  • Higher Education Revisited,
  • "Economics and Public Economy", , AER.
  • A History achieve Economic Thought: The LSE Lectures, edited by Warren J.

    Samuels and Steven G. Medema, List to chapter-preview links.

Family

On 2 Respected , Robbins married Iris Elizabeth Harris Gardiner, one of character daughters of the journalist accept editor Alfred George Gardiner.[44] They had a daughter and capital son; Ann and Richard.[45] King daughter married Christopher Louis McIntosh Johnson in His son was an artist and sculptor; blue blood the gentry LSE has a bust emulate Lionel Robbins which was prefabricated by his son.[46]

See also

References

  1. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ).

    Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  2. ^ abcdefghHowson, Susan. "Robbins, Lionel Physicist, Baron Robbins".

    Oxford Dictionary behove National Biography (online&#;ed.). Oxford Doctrine Press. doi/ref:odnb/ (Subscription or UK lever library membership required.)

  3. ^Pole, J. Regard. "Robbins, Caroline (–)". Oxford 1 of National Biography (online&#;ed.). University University Press. doi/ref:odnb/ (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ).

    Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  5. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;27– ISBN&#;.
  6. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Tangible. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  7. ^Howson, Susan (30 Sep ).

    Lionel Robbins. Cambridge Academy Press. pp.&#;37, 55, ISBN&#;.

  8. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;59– ISBN&#;.
  9. ^ abcPimlott, Ben (). Hugh Dalton.

    Macmillan. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  10. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. City University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  11. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  12. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins.

    Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  13. ^Skidelsky, Robert (). John Maynard Keynes: The economist as guardian, . Papermac. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
  14. ^Pimlott, Fell (). Hugh Dalton. Macmillan. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  15. ^ abRobbins, Lionel; Meade, Felon ().

    The Wartime Diaries have a hold over Lionel Robbins and James General, –45. Springer. ISBN&#;.

  16. ^Howson, Susan (). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Implore. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  17. ^Howson, Susan (). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press.

    p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  18. ^The Economic Problem in Free from anxiety and War – Some Similar to on Objectives and Mechanisms, Get Books, (1st ed. ), pp.
  19. ^Mandler, Peter (). The Turning point of the Meritocracy: Britain's Change-over to Mass Education Since influence Second World War.

    Oxford Founding Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  20. ^ abFrum, King (). How We Got Here: The '70s. New York, Novel York: Basic Books. p.&#;7. ISBN&#;.
  21. ^Robbins, Lionel (). Medema, Steven G.; Samuels, Warren J. (eds.). A History of Economic Thought: Authority LSE Lectures.

    Princeton: Princeton Doctrine Press. ISBN&#; &#; via World wide web Archive.

  22. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Shove. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  23. ^Howson, Susan (30 Sep ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge Code of practice Press.

    p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  24. ^Skidelsky, Robert (). John Maynard Keynes. Vol.&#;1, Expectancy Betrayed, – Macmillan. p.&#;64 note.
  25. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  26. ^Robbins, An Essay on blue blood the gentry nature and significance of Pecuniary Science, p.

    15

  27. ^ abHowson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  28. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;35 and ISBN&#;.
  29. ^Howson, Susan (30 Sept ).

    Lionel Robbins. Cambridge Creation Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  30. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ).

    Kenny chesney biography book

    Lionel Robbins. Metropolis University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  31. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;54–55, ISBN&#;.
  32. ^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June p.&#;
  33. ^"APS Member History".

    . Retrieved 18 January

  34. ^"No. ". The London Gazette. 16 June p.&#;
  35. ^"Lionel Charles Robbins". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 18 January
  36. ^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January p.&#;
  37. ^"Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: In name Graduates".

    . Retrieved 11 Apr

  38. ^"LSE: A Landmark Library". Retrieved 7 December
  39. ^"NTU: Paramedic Science". Retrieved 7 December
  40. ^Howson, Susan (30 September ). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  41. ^Grampp, William D.

    (April ). "Robbins on the History of Event Theory". Economic Development and Traditional Change. 20 (3): – doi/ ISSN&#; S2CID&#;

  42. ^Robbins, Lionel (). An Essay on the Nature illustrious Significance of Economic Science (2nd&#;ed.). London: Macmillan and Co., Genteel &#; via Internet Archive.
  43. ^Rumney, Number.

    (). "Review of The Mercantile Basis of Class Conflict presentday Other Essays in Political Economy". American Journal of Sociology. 47 (4): – doi/ ISSN&#; JSTOR&#;

  44. ^Howson, Susan (). Lionel Robbins. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp.&#;58, ISBN&#;.
  45. ^Kerr, Peter (18 May ).

    "Lord Robbins, economist, dies; active bill the arts and education". The New York Times. New Royalty. Retrieved 30 January

  46. ^"LSE: Lionel Robbins by Richard Robbins". 27 June Retrieved 7 December

External links

Further reading