Money and Empire

'The discipline of economics is balanced, somewhat unsteadily, between two legs, with the skill of the historian on one side and of the mathematical modeler on the other. In the second half of the 20th century, the tide flowed strongly to elevate the second leg and to diminish the first. In this delightful biography of Charlie Kindleberger, a charming and loveable man, Perry Mehrling shows how Charlie, in his chosen role, as an international monetary economist, fought against that tide, often unsuccessfully. Perry writes so beautifully that one would only need a smattering of economics to enjoy the tale; while if one is interested in the history of economic thought in international monetary economics, then this book is, of course, a must read.' Charles Goodhart, Centre for Economic Policy Research
'Like many legendary session players who never quite topped the charts, in his day Charles Kindleberger was revered by those hip enough to know great work when they saw it. So roll over Friedman and Samuelson. As Perry Merhling's erudite biography makes clear, to understand the urgent, real-world economic problems of our time, set aside the pop hits of yesterday (and today), and reach for Charlie's enduring, classic contributions.' Jonathan Kirshner, Boston College
'As a 'literary' economist, Charlie Kindleberger thought he was professionally behind the times. As an economic historian, however, he studied financial crises before that became fashionable, and he practiced experience-based learning well before modern economists rediscovered it. Mehrling's study shows that Kindleberger in fact was ahead of, not behind, his times. This is a fine biography of both a great twentieth-century economist and the U.S. dollar as the world's premier reserve currency during Kindleberger's long career.' Richard Sylla, Professor Emeritus of Economics, New York University
'Perry Mehrling's elegantly written biography of the MIT economist Charles Poor Kindleberger illuminates the relationship between money and the global structure of economic and political power.' Herman Mark Schwartz, phenomenalworld.org
'Mehrling's book … gives such a meticulous and so elegant analysis of Kindleberger's work that it paints with clear and precise strokes the life, works, and activities of a man who could be said to have lived as many as three different lives: first as a politician, able to influence the process of shaping American policy, then as an economist expert on the international monetary system, and finally as a great economic historian. All this always keeping the functioning and history of money as a central point.' Albertina Nania, History of Economic Thought and Policy