Harvard Prof Niall Ferguson Blames Keynes' Econ Philosophy On Him Being Homosexual and Childless

[swag]

http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-niall-ferguson-remarks-about-keynes-2013-5

(Henry Blodgett)
. . .

In front of a group of more than 500 investors, Ferguson responded to a question about Keynes' famous philosophy of self-interest versus the economic philosophy of Edmund Burke, who believed there was a social contract among the living, as well as the dead. Ferguson asked the audience how many children Keynes had. He explained that Keynes had none because he was a homosexual and was married to a ballerina, with whom he likely talked of "poetry" rather than procreated. The audience went quiet at the remark. Some attendees later said they found the remarks offensive. ...

Ferguson, who is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, and author of The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die, says it's only logical that Keynes would take this selfish worldview because he was an "effete" member of society. Apparently, in Ferguson's world, if you are gay or childless, you cannot care about future generations nor society.
. . .

First, this is the first time we have heard a respectable academic tie another economist's beliefs to his or her personal situation rather than his or her research. Saying that Keynes' economic philosophy was based on him being childless would be like saying that Ferguson's own economic philosophy is based on him being rich and famous and therefore not caring about the plight of poor unemployed people.

Second, Keynes' policies did not suggest that he did not care about future generations. On the contrary. ... For the sake of both future generations and current generations, Keynes believed that governments should run deficits during recessions and then run surpluses during economic booms. Politicians have never seemed to be able to follow the second part of Keynes' proscription — they tend to run deficits at all times — but it seems unfair to blame this latter failing on Keynes.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-niall-ferguson-remarks-about-keynes-2013-5#ixzz2SKmIhpA6

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. Wow ...

I cannot imagine this guy will ever be listened to again.

It would like a rocket scientist explaining lunar landings by saying:

Well ... when the chariot that pulls Sun around the Earth ...

[TxDemChem]

3. He'll end up speaking

At some right wing convention

[bemildred]

2. Boy, did he just kiss his crediility goodbye. nt

[eallen]

4. He has apologized

http://www.niallferguson.com/blog/an-unqualified-apology

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. Apology accepted ...

However, your comments have called into question both your objectivity and integrity as an academic, as well as your humanity. Therefore, You are fired. Please contact Human Resources to coordinate your departure. I wish you every fortune and more tolerance from others than you have displayed, in your future pursuits.

Sincerely,

....

[Squinch]

5. This guy is such a moron. He's proven wrong every time he opens his mouth. Harvard should be

embarassed.

[Democracyinkind]

7. I've had the quationable honor of meeting that guy

.. That was back in the day when he was the big thing in history, as he actually managed to write two books about the World Wars that were quite interesting and of some historical value.

Having met him, I was not in the least surprised to learn that he gave up writing relevant books about history in order to produce made-for-tv-trash history, such as his Empire, or Ascent of money. He struck me as a rather dull showman even then; years before his transformation. My boss loved the guy, really sucked up to him, but suggested in private that Ferguson would need a new wife if he was going to become the owners favoritve pundit. That statement proved itself to be rather prophetic

[marmar]

8. There's a Fox News show waiting for him.

[reformist2]

9. Oh my...