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Interwar and wartime economics

John Maynard Keynes

Economist and designer of international institutions

John Maynard Keynes was a British economist, civil servant, investor, and fellow of King's College, Cambridge. After serving at the Treasury, he criticized the economic terms imposed after the First World War. During the Great Depression, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money argued that an economy could remain stuck with high unemployment when private demand and investment were weak. Keynes returned to public service during the Second World War and helped negotiate the Bretton Woods institutions. He is useful for debates about recessions, expectations, fiscal policy, finance, and international monetary order.

Appearances

August 13, 2026

US July CPI cools to 3.4% YoY, matching forecasts

BLS released July 2026 CPI showing headline inflation at 3.4% year-over-year (down from 3.5% in June) and 0.1% month-over-month, both in line with expectations. Core measures similarly moderated. This eases some pressure on the Fed after prior elevated readings linked to energy and supply shocks.

John Maynard Keynes, David Ricardo, and Adam Smith