James Meade's Vision: Full Employment and Social Justice

Abstract

Economists are often accused of being narrow specialists, unable to see how their particular area of expertise relates to wider issues. But there is a handful of economists of whom such statements could never be made. Among these is Professor James Meade, who sadly died in December 1995. James Meade was one of the outstanding economists of this century, and a hallmark of his work was a remarkable capacity to see the economy as a whole. He contributed to many fields, but these were not isolated forays. All that be wrote was illuminated by a comprehensive understanding of social and economic problems. What is more, be had a vision as to how social and economic institutions could be reformed to make the world a better place, and be believed in the power of rational argument as a means to bring about these reforms.

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