James Meade

James Meade

James Meade
Keynesian economics
James Meade Nobel.jpg
Born 23 June 1907(1907-06-23)
Died 22 December 1995(1995-12-22) (aged 88)
Nationality  United Kingdom
Institution University of Cambridge
London School of Economics
Field Macroeconomics
Alma mater Trinity College, Cambridge
Malvern College
Influences John Maynard Keynes
Influenced Paul Krugman, Richard Stone
Contributions Theory of international trade and international capital movements
Awards Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (1977)
Information at IDEAS/RePEc

James Edward Meade CB, FBA (23 June 1907 – 22 December 1995) was a British economist and winner of the 1977 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences jointly with the Swedish economist Bertil Ohlin for their "Pathbreaking contribution to the theory of international trade and international capital movements."

Meade was born in Swanage, Dorset. He was educated at Malvern College and attended Oriel College, Oxford in 1926 to read Greats, but switched to Philosophy, Politics and Economics and gained an outstanding first. His interest in economics grew from an influential postgraduate year at Trinity College, Cambridge (1930–31), where he held frequent discussions with leading economists of the time including Dennis Robertson and John Maynard Keynes.

After working in the League of Nations and the Cabinet Office, he was the leading economist of the early years of Attlee's government, before taking professorships at LSE (1947–57) and Cambridge (1957–67).

Meade died in Cambridge at the age of 88.

Published works

His many books include:

  • The Theory of International Economic Policy – The Balance of Payments (1951)
  • The Theory of International Economic Policy – Trade and Welfare (1955)
  • Principles of Political Economy (1965–76)
  • The Intelligent Radical's Guide To Economic Policy (1975)
  • Liberty, Equality and Efficiency (1993)


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