Name G.D.N. Worswick | Died May 18, 2001 | |
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Books Profits in the British economy, 1909-1938 | ||
George David Norman Worswick, CBE, FBA, known as David Worswick or G. D. N. Worswick (1916–2001) was an Oxford economist specialising in understanding of the UK's economy from a Keynesian perspective.
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Whilst mathematically well trained, like Alfred Marshall, he became dubious about the use of mathematics in economics arguing against those who tried to avoid the difficult parts of economic problems by resorting to solvable simple equations. He was also critical of econometricians arguing that: they are not, it seems to me, engaged in forging tools to arrange and measure actual facts so much as making a marvellous array of pretend-tools which would perform wonders if ever a set of facts should turn up in the right form. Thus what was said above about the detached mathematical nature of much economic theory also goes for some econometric theory as well. But he counterbalances these criticisms by arguing that econometrics has been a powerful force in bringing economic theory back into touch with reality.
Career
Awards and prestigious academic posts
FBA 1979; CBE 1981; President, Royal Economic Society 1982-84;