Economists

Nemat Shafik: The World Bank and Private Sector Development

Nemat Shafik
2001

On this edition of Conversations with History, UC Berkeley's Harry Kreisler discusses the role of the World Bank in private sector development with Nemat Shafik, the Vice President of the organization.

http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/conversations/Shafik/shafik-con0.html

Key Words: Economists, International Economy, Globalization

John Kenneth Galbraith: Intellectual Journey: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom

John Kenneth Galbraith
1986

Economist John Kenneth Galbraith, in a conversation with host Harry Kreisler, looks back and reflects on the art of writing, U.S. policy toward the Third World during the Cold War, political leadership, and on his intellectual contributions.

http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/conversations/Galbraith/galbraith1.html

Key Words: Economists, Politics, U.S. Presidents, Writers, Cold War, Kennedy, Great Depression, Presidents, RIP

J. Bradford DeLong: Economics, Politics and Public Discourse

J. Bradford DeLong
2007

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Professor J. Bradford DeLong of Berkeley's Economics Department for a discussion of economics and public policy. Reflecting on his work as deputy assistant secretary in the Treasury Department in the Clinton administration, Professor DeLong discusses the dilemma posed by the breakdown of the political center, the strengths and weaknesses of the NAFTA agreement, and Alan Greenspan's record at the Federal Reserve. He also reflects on the quality of public discussion of economic issues.

Delong conversations globetrotter...

Gary S. Becker: Intellectual Journey

Gary S. Becker
2013

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Nobel Laureate Gary S. Becker for a discussion of his intellectual journey. Topics covered in the conversation include: the influence of his parents, his education, Milton Friedman, his early work on discrimination, the skills and temperament required for work in economics, applying economic analysis to social problems, the Chicago school of economics, creativity, rational choice theory, markets vs. government, the impact of ideas on policy, the communications revolution, the lessons of the 2008 economic collapse, and advice for students preparing...

Barry Eichengreen: Historical Perspective on the Global Economic Crisis

Barry Eichengreen
2009

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes economic historian Barry Eichengreen of UC Berkeley for an analysis of the global economic crisis. He discusses its causes, evaluates government responses, and explores the implications for reform and stability of the international monetary system. Professor Eichengreen compares the present crisis to the Great Depression and discusses its implications for America's standing in the world. He also reflects on the role of history in helping us understand the interplay between economics and politics.

KEYWORDS: International...

Barry Eichengreen: The Rise and Fall of the Dollar

Barry Eichengreen
2011

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Berkeley economic historian Barry Eichengreen for a discussion of his new book, Exorbitant Privilege. Outlining the history of the dollar's role in the international monetary system, Eichengreen begins with the function and characteristics of a reserve currency. The conversation then moves to an analysis of the institutional prerequisites for the rise of the dollar as an international currency. After describing the dollar's rise and sterling's fall, Eichengreen focuses on the factors that accounted for the dollar's...

Anders Aslund: Why Market Reform Succeeded and Democracy Failed in Russia

Anders Aslund
2008

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes economist Anders Aslund for a discussion of Russia after the fall of communism. He analyzes the reasons for the succcessful implementation of a market economy and the reasons for the failure to achieve a democratic revolution. He compares the leadership of Gorbachev, Yelstin, and Putin. Anders Aslund also discusses the implications of authoritarian rule by Putin for Russia and relations with the West.

KEYWORDS: Russia, Markets, Democratization.

Amartya Sen: Reflections on Theory in the Social Sciences

Amartya Sen
2005

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, Lamont University Professor, Harvard University, for a discussion of the interplay of economic theory and political philosophy in his work on public choice, development, and freedom. Sen recalls his own intellectual odyssey, commenting on some of the factors that shaped his thinking.

KEYWORDS: Nobel Laureates, India, Berkeley Graduate Lecturers.

Alain C. Enthoven: Planning, Policy and Politics

Alain C. Enthoven
2010

In his 500th interview, Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Stanford Professor Alain Enthoven for a discussion of public service and policy analysis. Recalling his tenure in the office of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara during the Kennedy administration, Enthoven describes the efforts to control military expenditures by using systems analysis to consider together weapons acquisition, budgeting, strategy, and national interest. He describes the resistance within the military and Congress, and he reflects on the lessons he learned from this experience.After recalling the...