Comprising a series of unique and informative interviews, this original book focuses on the evolution and current state of the economic literature on the Great Depression. Renowned economists assess the status of the remaining debates, evaluate what economists do and do not know about the economics of the interwar era, and examine the new directions economic research is taking in attempting to better understand this important economic epoch. Every generation of economists tries to understand the Depression, but the interwar generation of economists who lived through it left several issues unresolved. Often scholars from the generation that follows a particular event are the ones who provide fresh and disinterested evaluations of the historical period. We are now at that point in our evaluation of the economics of the interwar era. This book contains interviews with 12 American economists who have made substantial contributions to our understanding of the economics of the Great Depression: Peter Temin, Ben Bernanke, James Hamilton, Robert Lucas, Lee Ohanian, Christina Romer, Barry Eichengreen, Stephen Cecchetti, James Butkiewicz, Michael Bordo, Charles Calomiris and Allan Meltzer. Together and individually, they provide an enlightening account of what we have learned about the Great Depression from the post-World War II generation of economists. This accessible, highly readable book continues and extends the discussion of the Great Depression, appealing to students and scholars of both economics and history.

Comprising a series of unique and informative interviews, this original book focuses on the evolution and current state of the economic literature on the Great Depression. Renowned economists assess the status of the remaining debates, evaluate what economists do and do not know about the economics of the interwar era, and examine the new directions economic research is taking in attempting to better understand this important economic epoch. Every generation of economists tries to understand the Depression, but the interwar generation of economists who lived through it left several issues unresolved. Often scholars from the generation that follows a particular event are the ones who provide fresh and disinterested evaluations of the historical period. We are now at that point in our evaluation of the economics of the interwar era. This book contains interviews with 12 American economists who have made substantial contributions to our understanding of the economics of the Great Depression: Peter Temin, Ben Bernanke, James Hamilton, Robert Lucas, Lee Ohanian, Christina Romer, Barry Eichengreen, Stephen Cecchetti, James Butkiewicz, Michael Bordo, Charles Calomiris and Allan Meltzer. Together and individually, they provide an enlightening account of what we have learned about the Great Depression from the post-World War II generation of economists. This accessible, highly readable book continues and extends the discussion of the Great Depression, appealing to students and scholars of both economics and history.

It is an accepted truism that the Great Depression did more for the development of modern economics than any other single event. Some of the greatest economists of the twentieth century were inspired to go into the field as a direct result of their experiences during this period. This book explores the most prominent economic explanations of the Great Depression and how it affected the lives, experiences, and subsequent thinking of economists who lived through that era. Presented in interview format, this collection of conversations with Moses Abramovitz, Morris Adelman, Milton Friedman, Albert Hart, Charles Kindleberger, Wassily Leontief, Paul Samuelson, Anna Schwartz, James Tobin, Herbert Stein and Victor Zarnowitz provides a record of their reflections on the economics of the Great Depression and on the major events which occurred during those critical years. This volume is also another chapter in the legacy of the interwar generation of economists and is intended as a token of gratitude for the contributions they have made to the economics profession. Randall Parker has given us a window into the lives of these gifted scholars and an important glimpse into the world that shaped them. Any student or scholar of economics will find this homage to and record of the brightest voices to come out of this critical time to be indispensable.

The causes and consequences of the Great Depression have been the subject of a vast profusion of literature within the field of macroeconomics. In this timely three-volume collection, Randall Parker brings together the most authoritative works written by some of the leading experts in this field. The first volume gives a comprehensive overview of the build-up and immediate aftermath of the initial stages of the Depression while the second volume provides the reader with detailed analyses of the monetary and financial reasons behind this economic catastrophe. The third volume charts the vital research undertaken on the operation of the interwar gold standard, which has deepened our understanding of the Depression and its international character and concludes with an investigation into the economic recovery and the New Deal. This important and highly relevant collection, along with an original introduction by the editor, will be an invaluable reference tool for students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in the economic aspects of the Great Depression.

It is an accepted truism that the Great Depression did more for the development of modern economics than any other single event. Some of the greatest economists of the twentieth century were inspired to go into the field as a direct result of their experiences during this period. This book explores the most prominent economic explanations of the Great Depression and how it affected the lives, experiences, and subsequent thinking of economists who lived through that era. Presented in interview format, this collection of conversations with Moses Abramovitz, Morris Adelman, Milton Friedman, Albert Hart, Charles Kindleberger, Wassily Leontief, Paul Samuelson, Anna Schwartz, James Tobin, Herbert Stein and Victor Zarnowitz provides a record of their reflections on the economics of the Great Depression and on the major events which occurred during those critical years. This volume is also another chapter in the legacy of the interwar generation of economists and is intended as a token of gratitude for the contributions they have made to the economics profession. Randall Parker has given us a window into the lives of these gifted scholars and an important glimpse into the world that shaped them. Any student or scholar of economics will find this homage to and record of the brightest voices to come out of this critical time to be indispensable.