Martin Bronfenbrenner

Cheatsheet

Economists

Model Questions

Martin Bronfenbrenner (August 2, 1914 – June 2, 1997) was a distinguished American economist known for his wide-ranging contributions to macroeconomics, income distribution theory, the Japanese economy, and the history of economic thought. He was recognized for his eclectic approach, his critical engagement with prevailing economic doctrines, and his clear, incisive writing style.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1934. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where he was influenced by prominent economists such as Frank Knight and Henry Simons, earning his Ph.D. in economics in 1939. His dissertation was titled "Monetary Theory and General Equilibrium."

Bronfenbrenner had a long and varied academic career, holding positions at several leading universities:

He began his teaching career at Roosevelt College (now Roosevelt University) in Chicago.
He served as an economist for the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board during and immediately after World War II.
He held professorships at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1947–1957), Michigan State University (briefly), the University of Minnesota (1959–1962), and Carnegie Mellon University (then Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1962–1971).
From 1971 to 1984, he was the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics at Duke University, where he became an emeritus professor.
After retiring from Duke, he taught as a visiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Japan, from 1984 until shortly before his death, reflecting his deep and longstanding interest in the Japanese economy.

He was a visiting professor at numerous institutions worldwide and was actively involved in professional organizations, serving as Vice President of the American Economic Association (AEA) in 1970 and being named a Distinguished Fellow of the AEA in 1980.

Bronfenbrenner's work was characterized by its breadth, critical perspective, and empirical grounding.

Income Distribution Theory:
- This was perhaps his most significant area of contribution. His magnum opus, Income Distribution Theory (1971), became a standard graduate-level textbook.
- The book provided a comprehensive and critical survey of various theories of income distribution, including neoclassical marginal productivity theory, bargaining theories, institutionalist perspectives, and Marxist approaches.
- He emphasized the complexities and multifaceted nature of income determination, often expressing skepticism about overly simplistic or monocausal explanations.
- He explored issues such as the functional distribution of income (between labor, capital, land) and the personal distribution of income (among individuals and households).

Macroeconomics:
- Bronfenbrenner was an active participant in macroeconomic debates, particularly concerning Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics, inflation, and unemployment.
- His textbook, Macroeconomic Alternatives (1979), reflected his eclectic approach, presenting various theoretical frameworks rather than advocating for a single school of thought.
- He developed what he called an "eclectic theory of inflation," which combined elements of demand-pull, cost-push, and expectational factors, arguing that different types of inflation might dominate at different times or in different economies.
- He was often critical of fine-tuning policies and expressed concerns about the inflationary biases of modern mixed economies.

Japanese Economy:
- Bronfenbrenner had a profound and enduring interest in the Japanese economy, beginning with his service in occupied Japan after World War II.
- He wrote extensively on Japan's post-war economic development, its industrial structure, labor markets (including the "dual structure" and lifetime employment system), and monetary policy.
- His insights were valued for their combination of economic analysis and deep understanding of Japanese institutions and culture.

History of Economic Thought and Methodology:
- He frequently taught courses on the history of economic thought and contributed articles in this area.
- Methodologically, Bronfenbrenner was known for his pragmatism and skepticism towards dogmatism. He valued clear exposition, empirical evidence, and a willingness to consider diverse theoretical perspectives. He often played the role of a constructive critic of prevailing economic fashions.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was highly respected as a teacher, scholar, and commentator on economic affairs. His ability to synthesize and critically evaluate a wide range of economic theories made his work particularly valuable. He mentored many students who went on to have successful academic careers. His contributions to income distribution theory provided a benchmark text for decades, and his analyses of macroeconomics and the Japanese economy remain insightful. He is remembered for his intellectual honesty, his broad erudition, and his commitment to applying economic analysis to real-world problems.

1953: (with Taro Yamane) A Study in Redistribution and Consumption. University of Wisconsin Press.
1968: (Editor) Is the Business Cycle Obsolete? Wiley-Interscience.
1971: Income Distribution Theory. Aldine-Atherton. (Reprinted by Transaction Publishers, 2007).
1979: Macroeconomic Alternatives. AHM Publishing Corp.
1982: (with Werner Sichel and Wayland Gardner) Economics. Houghton Mifflin. (A principles textbook).
1989: Keizai Gaku Monogatari (Stories of Economics). (Published in Japanese).
1990: Lessons from the Japanese Economy. University of Alberta Press.

1949: "The Dilemma of Liberal Economics." Journal of Political Economy, 57(4), pp. 334-346.
1950: "The High Cost of Economic Development." Land Economics, 26(2), pp. 93-104 (Part I) & 26(3), pp. 209-218 (Part II).
1955: (with Jan Tinbergen and J.J. Polak) "The International Economic Position of Japan." IMF Staff Papers, 4(3), pp. 307-387.
1956: "A Contribution to the Aggregative Theory of Wages." Journal of Political Economy, 64(6), pp. 459-469.
1960: "The Appeal of Confiscation in Economic Development." Economic Development and Cultural Change, 8(3), pp. 201-218.
1961: "Notes on the Productivity of Japanese Labor." The Journal of Asian Studies, 20(2), pp. 193-201.
1962: (with Franklyn D. Holzman) "Survey of Inflation Theory." American Economic Review, 52(4), pp. 593-661. (A highly cited survey).
1970: "Radical Economics in America: A 1970 Survey." Journal of Economic Literature, 8(3), pp. 747-766.
1976: "Ten Issues in Distribution Theory." In The Distribution of Economic Well-Being, edited by F. Thomas Juster. NBER.
1986: "Japan and the U.S.: The Case for a Bilateral Free Trade Arrangement." Cato Journal, 6(3), pp. 777-792.

Martin Bronfenbrenner (August 2, 1914 – June 2, 1997) was a distinguished American economist known for his wide-ranging contributions to macroeconomics, income distribution theory, the Japanese economy, and the history of economic thought. He was recognized for his eclectic approach, his critical engagement with prevailing economic doctrines, and his clear, incisive writing style.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1934. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where he was influenced by prominent economists such as Frank Knight and Henry Simons, earning his Ph.D. in economics in 1939. His dissertation was titled "Monetary Theory and General Equilibrium."

Bronfenbrenner had a long and varied academic career, holding positions at several leading universities:

He began his teaching career at Roosevelt College (now Roosevelt University) in Chicago.
He served as an economist for the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board during and immediately after World War II.
He held professorships at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1947–1957), Michigan State University (briefly), the University of Minnesota (1959–1962), and Carnegie Mellon University (then Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1962–1971).
From 1971 to 1984, he was the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics at Duke University, where he became an emeritus professor.
After retiring from Duke, he taught as a visiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Japan, from 1984 until shortly before his death, reflecting his deep and longstanding interest in the Japanese economy.

He was a visiting professor at numerous institutions worldwide and was actively involved in professional organizations, serving as Vice President of the American Economic Association (AEA) in 1970 and being named a Distinguished Fellow of the AEA in 1980.

Bronfenbrenner's work was characterized by its breadth, critical perspective, and empirical grounding.

Income Distribution Theory:
- This was perhaps his most significant area of contribution. His magnum opus, Income Distribution Theory (1971), became a standard graduate-level textbook.
- The book provided a comprehensive and critical survey of various theories of income distribution, including neoclassical marginal productivity theory, bargaining theories, institutionalist perspectives, and Marxist approaches.
- He emphasized the complexities and multifaceted nature of income determination, often expressing skepticism about overly simplistic or monocausal explanations.
- He explored issues such as the functional distribution of income (between labor, capital, land) and the personal distribution of income (among individuals and households).

Macroeconomics:
- Bronfenbrenner was an active participant in macroeconomic debates, particularly concerning Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics, inflation, and unemployment.
- His textbook, Macroeconomic Alternatives (1979), reflected his eclectic approach, presenting various theoretical frameworks rather than advocating for a single school of thought.
- He developed what he called an "eclectic theory of inflation," which combined elements of demand-pull, cost-push, and expectational factors, arguing that different types of inflation might dominate at different times or in different economies.
- He was often critical of fine-tuning policies and expressed concerns about the inflationary biases of modern mixed economies.

Japanese Economy:
- Bronfenbrenner had a profound and enduring interest in the Japanese economy, beginning with his service in occupied Japan after World War II.
- He wrote extensively on Japan's post-war economic development, its industrial structure, labor markets (including the "dual structure" and lifetime employment system), and monetary policy.
- His insights were valued for their combination of economic analysis and deep understanding of Japanese institutions and culture.

History of Economic Thought and Methodology:
- He frequently taught courses on the history of economic thought and contributed articles in this area.
- Methodologically, Bronfenbrenner was known for his pragmatism and skepticism towards dogmatism. He valued clear exposition, empirical evidence, and a willingness to consider diverse theoretical perspectives. He often played the role of a constructive critic of prevailing economic fashions.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was highly respected as a teacher, scholar, and commentator on economic affairs. His ability to synthesize and critically evaluate a wide range of economic theories made his work particularly valuable. He mentored many students who went on to have successful academic careers. His contributions to income distribution theory provided a benchmark text for decades, and his analyses of macroeconomics and the Japanese economy remain insightful. He is remembered for his intellectual honesty, his broad erudition, and his commitment to applying economic analysis to real-world problems.

1953: (with Taro Yamane) A Study in Redistribution and Consumption. University of Wisconsin Press.
1968: (Editor) Is the Business Cycle Obsolete? Wiley-Interscience.
1971: Income Distribution Theory. Aldine-Atherton. (Reprinted by Transaction Publishers, 2007).
1979: Macroeconomic Alternatives. AHM Publishing Corp.
1982: (with Werner Sichel and Wayland Gardner) Economics. Houghton Mifflin. (A principles textbook).
1989: Keizai Gaku Monogatari (Stories of Economics). (Published in Japanese).
1990: Lessons from the Japanese Economy. University of Alberta Press.

1949: "The Dilemma of Liberal Economics." Journal of Political Economy, 57(4), pp. 334-346.
1950: "The High Cost of Economic Development." Land Economics, 26(2), pp. 93-104 (Part I) & 26(3), pp. 209-218 (Part II).
1955: (with Jan Tinbergen and J.J. Polak) "The International Economic Position of Japan." IMF Staff Papers, 4(3), pp. 307-387.
1956: "A Contribution to the Aggregative Theory of Wages." Journal of Political Economy, 64(6), pp. 459-469.
1960: "The Appeal of Confiscation in Economic Development." Economic Development and Cultural Change, 8(3), pp. 201-218.
1961: "Notes on the Productivity of Japanese Labor." The Journal of Asian Studies, 20(2), pp. 193-201.
1962: (with Franklyn D. Holzman) "Survey of Inflation Theory." American Economic Review, 52(4), pp. 593-661. (A highly cited survey).
1970: "Radical Economics in America: A 1970 Survey." Journal of Economic Literature, 8(3), pp. 747-766.
1976: "Ten Issues in Distribution Theory." In The Distribution of Economic Well-Being, edited by F. Thomas Juster. NBER.
1986: "Japan and the U.S.: The Case for a Bilateral Free Trade Arrangement." Cato Journal, 6(3), pp. 777-792.

Martin Bronfenbrenner (August 2, 1914 – June 2, 1997) was a distinguished American economist known for his wide-ranging contributions to macroeconomics, income distribution theory, the Japanese economy, and the history of economic thought. He was recognized for his eclectic approach, his critical engagement with prevailing economic doctrines, and his clear, incisive writing style.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1934. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where he was influenced by prominent economists such as Frank Knight and Henry Simons, earning his Ph.D. in economics in 1939. His dissertation was titled "Monetary Theory and General Equilibrium."

Bronfenbrenner had a long and varied academic career, holding positions at several leading universities:

He began his teaching career at Roosevelt College (now Roosevelt University) in Chicago.
He served as an economist for the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board during and immediately after World War II.
He held professorships at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1947–1957), Michigan State University (briefly), the University of Minnesota (1959–1962), and Carnegie Mellon University (then Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1962–1971).
From 1971 to 1984, he was the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics at Duke University, where he became an emeritus professor.
After retiring from Duke, he taught as a visiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Japan, from 1984 until shortly before his death, reflecting his deep and longstanding interest in the Japanese economy.

He was a visiting professor at numerous institutions worldwide and was actively involved in professional organizations, serving as Vice President of the American Economic Association (AEA) in 1970 and being named a Distinguished Fellow of the AEA in 1980.

Bronfenbrenner's work was characterized by its breadth, critical perspective, and empirical grounding.

Income Distribution Theory:
- This was perhaps his most significant area of contribution. His magnum opus, Income Distribution Theory (1971), became a standard graduate-level textbook.
- The book provided a comprehensive and critical survey of various theories of income distribution, including neoclassical marginal productivity theory, bargaining theories, institutionalist perspectives, and Marxist approaches.
- He emphasized the complexities and multifaceted nature of income determination, often expressing skepticism about overly simplistic or monocausal explanations.
- He explored issues such as the functional distribution of income (between labor, capital, land) and the personal distribution of income (among individuals and households).

Macroeconomics:
- Bronfenbrenner was an active participant in macroeconomic debates, particularly concerning Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics, inflation, and unemployment.
- His textbook, Macroeconomic Alternatives (1979), reflected his eclectic approach, presenting various theoretical frameworks rather than advocating for a single school of thought.
- He developed what he called an "eclectic theory of inflation," which combined elements of demand-pull, cost-push, and expectational factors, arguing that different types of inflation might dominate at different times or in different economies.
- He was often critical of fine-tuning policies and expressed concerns about the inflationary biases of modern mixed economies.

Japanese Economy:
- Bronfenbrenner had a profound and enduring interest in the Japanese economy, beginning with his service in occupied Japan after World War II.
- He wrote extensively on Japan's post-war economic development, its industrial structure, labor markets (including the "dual structure" and lifetime employment system), and monetary policy.
- His insights were valued for their combination of economic analysis and deep understanding of Japanese institutions and culture.

History of Economic Thought and Methodology:
- He frequently taught courses on the history of economic thought and contributed articles in this area.
- Methodologically, Bronfenbrenner was known for his pragmatism and skepticism towards dogmatism. He valued clear exposition, empirical evidence, and a willingness to consider diverse theoretical perspectives. He often played the role of a constructive critic of prevailing economic fashions.

Martin Bronfenbrenner was highly respected as a teacher, scholar, and commentator on economic affairs. His ability to synthesize and critically evaluate a wide range of economic theories made his work particularly valuable. He mentored many students who went on to have successful academic careers. His contributions to income distribution theory provided a benchmark text for decades, and his analyses of macroeconomics and the Japanese economy remain insightful. He is remembered for his intellectual honesty, his broad erudition, and his commitment to applying economic analysis to real-world problems.

1953: (with Taro Yamane) A Study in Redistribution and Consumption. University of Wisconsin Press.
1968: (Editor) Is the Business Cycle Obsolete? Wiley-Interscience.
1971: Income Distribution Theory. Aldine-Atherton. (Reprinted by Transaction Publishers, 2007).
1979: Macroeconomic Alternatives. AHM Publishing Corp.
1982: (with Werner Sichel and Wayland Gardner) Economics. Houghton Mifflin. (A principles textbook).
1989: Keizai Gaku Monogatari (Stories of Economics). (Published in Japanese).
1990: Lessons from the Japanese Economy. University of Alberta Press.

1949: "The Dilemma of Liberal Economics." Journal of Political Economy, 57(4), pp. 334-346.
1950: "The High Cost of Economic Development." Land Economics, 26(2), pp. 93-104 (Part I) & 26(3), pp. 209-218 (Part II).
1955: (with Jan Tinbergen and J.J. Polak) "The International Economic Position of Japan." IMF Staff Papers, 4(3), pp. 307-387.
1956: "A Contribution to the Aggregative Theory of Wages." Journal of Political Economy, 64(6), pp. 459-469.
1960: "The Appeal of Confiscation in Economic Development." Economic Development and Cultural Change, 8(3), pp. 201-218.
1961: "Notes on the Productivity of Japanese Labor." The Journal of Asian Studies, 20(2), pp. 193-201.
1962: (with Franklyn D. Holzman) "Survey of Inflation Theory." American Economic Review, 52(4), pp. 593-661. (A highly cited survey).
1970: "Radical Economics in America: A 1970 Survey." Journal of Economic Literature, 8(3), pp. 747-766.
1976: "Ten Issues in Distribution Theory." In The Distribution of Economic Well-Being, edited by F. Thomas Juster. NBER.
1986: "Japan and the U.S.: The Case for a Bilateral Free Trade Arrangement." Cato Journal, 6(3), pp. 777-792.