Championing The Principles of Liberty

We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news! We have secured $10,000 in matching funds, offering a unique opportunity for our supporters to double their impact. Donate Today!

$15,112 of $60,000 raised

The Economic Eugenicism of John Maynard Keynes

by | Apr 26, 2017

The Economic Eugenicism of John Maynard Keynes

by | Apr 26, 2017

Journal of Markets and Morality, Forthcoming, 21 Pages

Abstract

Scholars of John Maynard Keynes’ life and contributions to economics have tended to approach his involvement in the early 20th century eugenics movement by either:

(1) historicizing it as a regrettable political curiosity with only minor connections to his larger system of economic thought or,

(2) positing an evolutionary turn in Keynes’ thinking that led him to abandon his earlier neo-Malthusian principles in the late 1920s.

In this paper, we reexamine the role that eugenicist beliefs played in the formation of Keynesian macroeconomic theory, particularly as it concerned the problem of unemployment. Turning to a historical analysis of Keynes’ writings and accompanying archival material, we present evidence of a continuity of eugenicist themes that links his early work on population control to his embrace of state-organized economic design at the mature phase of his career. Taken in sum, eugenics adds a complicated moral dimension to the genesis of Keynesian thought, though one that we also note is highly consistent with the technocratic inclinations of progressive era policymaking.

Download and read the full paper at the Social Science Research Network.

About Phillip W. Magness and Sean J Hernandez

Phillip W. Magness, George Mason University - Institute for Humane Studies; George Mason University - School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. Sean J Hernandez, Independent.

Our Books

10books 2023facebookcoverphoto 02

Related Articles

Related

TGIF: Inspiration for the Nakba?

TGIF: Inspiration for the Nakba?

The unspeakable violence that plagues Israel and Palestine daily relates in part to the assertion of an ancient, ancestral, and even divinely bestowed property right to a parcel of land, which is often called "holy" and "promised." For background, here are a few...

read more
A Libertarian Defense of Surrogacy

A Libertarian Defense of Surrogacy

Amidst announcements of gay conservatives having children by surrogate, commentators such as Michael Knowles and Katy Faust levied criticism against the practice of surrogacy in general. These commentators, however, get a lot wrong. Let’s examine each of the most...

read more
The Real Problem With Our Foreign Policy…

The Real Problem With Our Foreign Policy…

Over the weekend Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin explained to the American people what’s really wrong with U.S. foreign policy. Some might find his conclusions surprising. The U.S. standing in the world is damaged not because we spent 20 years fighting an Afghan...

read more
Kissinger and My Interstate 81 Epiphany

Kissinger and My Interstate 81 Epiphany

Henry Kissinger died last Wednesday. So far, I’ve been handling the grief pretty well. Kissinger was the most esteemed war criminal in American history. As Richard Nixon’s National Security Advisor, Kissinger summarized the president's order for bombing Cambodia:...

read more

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This