Description:
John Maynard Keynes is arguably the most important and influential economist of the twentieth century, and stands alongside Adam Smith and Karl Marx as one of the most famous economic thinkers of all time. Keynes's radical reassessment of the accepted principles of economics led to new ways of thinking about how to deal with financial crises and economic depressions, and encouraged governments to increase levels of state investment to create economic growth.
Vincent Barnett argues controversially that allowing psychology a much greater role within economics was a main but often-neglected feature of The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, and that Keynes's policy writings were more concerned with the Britain's national interest than is sometimes recognised. The result is a concise new biography that is both intellectually rigorous and easily accessible to students and anyone else seeking to understand the life and work of England's foremost economist.
Review Quotes:
'Vincent Barnett's biography...joins the ranks of an honourable band of such works...(He) writes very clearly and brings his subject to life in subdued but informative English prose. In around 300 pages, he provides many insights into not only the biographical dimension but also the academic contribution of his protagonist...likely to be of interest to both undergraduates and postgraduate students of the field, particularly due to the author's clarity of expression and readable style.' -- Malcolm Warner, Judge Business School, Cambridge University, UK
'Barnett succeeds brilliantly at making his account entertaining as well as informative. This volume, therefore, would serve as an excellent primer for anyone seeking a readable but scholarly introduction to the ideas and life of the Twentieth Century's most important economist.' -- Professor Richard Toye, University of Exeter, in 'Britain and the World', vol.8 no.2, 2015.