Unemployment and the Economists

by Bernard Corry, Alan Budd, Walter Eltis, Jose Harris, Terry Peach

Overview

Unemployment and the Economists addresses economic ideas, beliefs and arguments regarding the causes and possible cures of unemployment - a matter of recurring interest and concern for economists throughout history.

An overview essay by Bernard Corry shows how the economic policy and theory has focused more on giving incentives for the unemployed to find work than on altering the structure of the demand for labour. Terry Peach writes about Ricardo's debates with Malthus on unemployment following the Napoleonic wars, while Jose Harris examines the phenomenon during the 1870 to 1914 period. The volume also includes work by George Peden on the interwar British Treasury's rejection of borrowing to counter unemployment and Alan Budd's paper on the theory and practice of unemployment policy since the second world war. The volume concludes with comments by Walter Eltis.

Featuring some of the leading scholars currently writing on the history of economic thought and policy, Unemployment and the Economists will be welcomed as a substantial contribution to an on-going and highly pertinent economic, political and social debate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781858983516
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	12/17/1996
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Edited by Bernard Corry, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Queen Mary, University of London, UK

With contributions from the late Alan Budd, formerly Pro Bono Economics, UK and the late Walter Eltis, formerly Emeritus Fellow, Exeter College, Oxford University, UK, the late Jose Harris, formerly, St Catherine’s College, Oxford, Terry Peach, University of Manchester, UK and George Peden, University of Stirling, UK

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface 1. Unemployment in the History of Economic Thought: An Overview and Some Reflections (B. Corry) 2. Ricardo and Malthus on the Post-Napoleonic Distress: Too Many Producers or a Momentary Lapse of Reason? (T. Peach) 3. From Sunspots to Social Welfare: The Unemployment Problem 1870–1914 (J. Harris) 4. The Treasury View in the Interwar Period: An Example of Political Economy? (G. Peden) 5. Unemployment Policy Since the War - the Theory and the Practice (A. Budd) 6. Unemployment and the Economists: A Concluding Comment (W. Eltis) Index

Editorial Reviews

'. . . the essays provide worthwhile reading for those interested in the evolution of thinking on unemployment and related policy issues throughout history.'

From the Publisher

'The great merit of the book is that it brings together papers spanning the period from the 1820s to the 1990s. The papers are all useful and some are very good.'

Roger E. Backhouse

Six British economists address economic ideas, beliefs, and arguments regarding the causes and possible solutions to unemployment. An overview essay by Bernard Corry is followed by an essay in which Terry Peach addresses Ricardo's debates with Malthus on unemployment following the Napoleonic wars, while Jose Harris examines unemployment from 1870 to 1914. George Peden evaluates the interwar British Treasury's rejection of borrowing to counter unemployment and Alan Budd's paper is on the theory and practice of unemployment policy since WWII. Includes a concluding contribution by Walter Eltis. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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