Judging Economic Policy (PDF)

In this engaging volume, the editors present the influential work of economist Gottfried Haberler, whom Paul Samuelson judges qualified for about two-and-a-half Nobel prizes in economics. Throughout the book, Haberlers essays reveal the clarity of his analyses and his ability to identify crucial policy choices, whether grappling with issues of inflation, unemployment, trade, or development. Presenting Haberler as the eclectic economist he is, the editors show that far from being an ideologue, Haberler is an economist who uses whatever approaches and theories are appropriate for the problems he considers. Paul Samuelson judges that Gottfried Haberlers work should qualify him for about two-and-a-half Nobel Prizes in economicsone for his quantum improvement in trade theory beyond Ricardos paradigm of labors comparative advantage, one for his definitive synthesis of business cycle theory, and beyond these his policy wisdom over a period of six decades. It is Haberlers policy wisdom that serves as the basis for this comprehensive collection of the eminent economists work.Throughout the book, Haberlers contributions demonstrate the clarity of his analyses for exploring the complex economics of policy issues and for identifying key governmental responses to problems of unemployment, trade, and development. Presenting Haberler as the eclectic economist he is, the editors show that far from being an ideologue, Haberler is an economist who uses whatever approaches and theories are appropriate for the problems he considers. The portrait that emerges is one of a multifaceted thinker, able to choose freely among competing theories and to effectively apply them to complex and demanding policy issues.