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Jacob VinerCanadian economist
Date of Birth: 03.05.1892
Country:  Canada |
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Biography of Jacob Viner
Jacob Viner, a Canadian economist, is regarded as one of the most influential mentors of the Chicago School of Economics in the 1930s, along with Frank Knight and Henry Simons. He was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1892 to Romanian immigrants. In 1914, Viner graduated from McGill University and went on to obtain his doctorate degree from Harvard University, where he wrote his dissertation under the guidance of renowned international trade expert, Frank W. Taussig.
Academic Career
From 1916 to 1917 and again from 1919 to 1946, Viner taught at the University of Chicago. He also spent some time working at Stanford University and Yale University, and twice held positions at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. In 1946, Viner moved to Princeton University, where he worked until his retirement in 1960. Viner played a significant role in various government projects, including advising Henry Morgenthau, the Secretary of the Treasury. During World War II, he worked at the Council on Foreign Relations alongside Alvin Hansen.
Teaching Style
Both at Chicago and Princeton, Viner earned a reputation as an incredibly strict professor, intimidating students who studied under him. However, to his friends and family, Viner was known to be highly rational, witty, and kind-hearted. Students who managed to meet Viner's rigorous standards later became highly talented economists, including future Nobel laureate Milton Friedman.
Views and Contributions
During the Great Depression, Viner became a vocal opponent of John Maynard Keynes. While he supported Keynesian policies of government spending, he considered Keynes' analytical methods unreliable and inadequate in the long run. Viner's most significant contribution, regarded as his seminal work to this day, is his research on the history of economic thought, specifically his book 'Studies in the Theory of International Trade'.
Legacy and Death
Jacob Viner passed away on September 12, 1970, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a prominent economist and influential teacher. His research and teachings continue to shape the field of economics.
