After a brief introduction to Economic History, the first part of the course will investigate the origin of Keynes’ economic thought, from the post-war crisis to the Great Depression and the General Theory. It will then follow Keynes’ legacy and focus on the works of Keynesian economists, such as Robinson, Kalecki, Samuelson, Solow. Finally, it will address the problem of the rise of neoliberalism, the demise of Keynesian thought, and the return to neoclassical economics.
The second part of the course will instead focus on the implementation of Keynesian economic policies and address a few specific case studies by relying on students’ presentations (supervised by the instructor). Topics include Keynesian economic thought on war financing, public debt, welfare state, taxation, inflation, inequality, based on precise historical (national) cases between the 1930s and the 1970s.
Attention: the seminar will take place in English (including readings, class discussion, and assignments). Take this an opportunity to engage with English literature and improve your language skills.
- Course owner: Paolo Bozzi