John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) is a central thinker of the twentieth century, not just as an economic theorist and statesman, but in the borderland of economics, philosophy, politics and culture. Keynes's doctrines continue to inspire strong feelings in admirers and detractors alike. This short, engaging study of his life and thought explores the many positive and negative stereotypes and also examines the quality of Keynes's mind, his cultural and social milieu, his ethical and practical philosophy, and his monetary thought. Recent scholarship has significantly altered the treatment and assessment of Keynes's contribution to twentieth-century economic thinking, and the current state of the debate initiated by the Keynesian revolution is discussed in a final chapter on its legacy. No other work on Keynes provides such a readable introduction to his life and work.
