Richard D. Wolff

Richard D. Wolff

American heterodox economist
Date of Birth: 01.04.1942
Country: USA

Richard Wolff: Biography of an American Non-Orthodox Economist

Richard Wolff is an American non-orthodox economist, widely known for his works in the field of Marxist economics, economic methodology, and class analysis. Born to European parents during the Holocaust, Wolff's father, a French lawyer, found work as a metallurgist in Youngstown, Ohio, after the family migrated to the United States. Growing up near New York City, Wolff's childhood experiences greatly influenced his views on the world, solidifying his belief that the global political and economic system needed significant restructuring.

Richard D. Wolff

In 1963, Wolff obtained a bachelor's degree in history from Harvard University, followed by master's degrees in economics from Stanford University in 1964 and Yale University in 1966. He later earned a master's degree in history in 1967 and a doctorate in economics in 1969. Wolff's dissertation, focusing on the economic aspects of colonial policies using the example of Britain and Kenya, was published as a standalone book in 1974.

Richard D. Wolff

From 1969 to 1973, Wolff taught at the City College of New York, where he began his collaboration with economist Stephen Resnick, who had also migrated from Yale to the same institution. In 1973, Wolff, Resnick, Samuel Bowles, Herbert Gintis, and Rick Edwards joined the economics faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Wolff became a full professor at Amherst in 1981 and retired as an emeritus professor in 2008.

Richard D. Wolff

The first joint work of Wolff and Resnick, "The Theory of Transitional Conjunctures and the Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism," laid the foundation for all their subsequent research. Together, they developed a non-deterministic class analysis approach that helped elucidate various complex aspects related to the transition from feudalism to capitalism. Their research also delved into Marxist theory, analysis of value, redefinition, radical economics, international trade, business cycles, social formations, and the experience of the Soviet Union.

In 1989, Wolff, along with a group of colleagues and their students, launched the journal "Rethinking Marxism." This scholarly publication aimed to reassess Marxism and develop new applications and interpretations of Marxist theories for different economic issues. Currently, Wolff continues to serve as an editor for the journal.

Aside from his academic pursuits, Wolff has also been involved in political activities. He played a significant role in the formation of the Green Party in New Haven, Connecticut, and even ran for mayor as a candidate from this party in 1985. In 2011, he advocated for the establishment of a new mass-oriented left party in the United States.

It is worth noting that one of Wolff's former students, George Papandreou, went on to achieve significant professional success, becoming the Prime Minister of Greece.

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