2015•Journal of Post Keynesian EconomicsRequires access

What was the primary factor encouraging mainstream economists to marginalize post Keynesian theory?

Paul J. Davidson

Open publisher page 15 citations

Abstract

Paul Samuelson’s own words are used to demonstrate that he and his “Keynesian” followers never comprehended Keynes’s general theory or the Post Keynesian development of Keynes’s analysis. Samuelson claimed that Keynes’s theory is a slow adjusting Walrasian system and any theory which rejected the Walrasian foundations is not a valid economic theory. Samuelson’s arrogance in believing he had discovered the “Foundations of Economic Analysis” is the primary factor that has marginalized Post Keynesian theory. Keynes had explicitly rejected Walras’s system. Sidney Weintraub, a founder of Post Keynesian theory, developed the Marshallian micro foundations that are the foundations of Keynes’s general theory.

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What this paper is about

Paul Samuelson’s own words are used to demonstrate that he and his “Keynesian” followers never comprehended Keynes’s general theory or the Post Keynesian development of Keynes’s analysis. Samuelson claimed that Keynes’s theory is a slow adjusting Walrasian system and any theory which rejected the Walrasian foundations is not a valid economic theory. Samuelson’s arrogance in believing he had discovered the “Foundations of Economic Analysis” is the primary factor that has marginalized Post Keynesian theory. Keynes had explicitly rejected Walras’s system. Sidney Weintraub, a founder of Post Keynesian theory, developed the Marshallian micro foundations that are the foundations of Keynes’s general theory.

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OpenAlex reports 15 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

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Available abstract

Paul Samuelson’s own words are used to demonstrate that he and his “Keynesian” followers never comprehended Keynes’s general theory or the Post Keynesian development of Keynes’s analysis. Samuelson claimed that Keynes’s theory is a slow adjusting Walrasian system and any theory which rejected the Walrasian foundations is not a valid economic theory. Samuelson’s arrogance in believing he had discovered the “Foundations of Economic Analysis” is the primary factor that has marginalized Post Keynesian theory. Keynes had explicitly rejected Walras’s system. Sidney Weintraub, a founder of Post Keynesian theory, developed the Marshallian micro foundations that are the foundations of Keynes’s general theory.

Key concepts: Economics, General theory, Post-Keynesian economics, Keynesian economics, Mainstream, Neoclassical economics, Effective demand, Mainstream economics

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